Author: Janice Man
Editors: Sarah Armes & Dr Jenneffer Tibaes
Contributors: Prof Sumantra Ray & Matheus Abrantes
Acknowledgements: NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health; International Academy of Nutrition Educators (IANE); BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health; Authors of the Article – Russell Cain, Maddy French, and Luigi Sedda.
England’s coastal communities face significant deprivation, neglect, and disproportionately poor health compared to inland areas, including elevated rates of mental health issues, chronic diseases, and dementia. The COVID-19 pandemic has further widened these disparities, with coastal areas experiencing higher mortality, long COVID prevalence, and unemployment rates. However, research into how these health and socioeconomic challenges vary within coastal communities remains limited, hindering effective policy and practice.
The study by Cain et al. (2023) examines the dynamics of food insecurity, health, well-being, demographics, and deprivation in Fleetwood, a socially deprived coastal town in Lancashire, UK, before and after COVID-19. Using hospital admission and community mental health referral data, we assess health outcomes and trends, while free school meal eligibility serves as a proxy for food insecurity and its associated impacts on health and well-being.
Key Findings
Food Insecurity
Some areas with good housing and decent incomes but worse health conditions saw more children needing free school meals after the pandemic. This highlights hidden struggles in certain neighborhoods.
Mental Health
Mental health issues didn't change much during the first year of the pandemic. However, unemployment and serious health problems like heart and lung diseases made mental health worse, especially for teenagers and young adults.
Hospital Admissions
Younger people were more likely to be hospitalised for mental health problems than older adults, reflecting broader challenges for young people in coastal communities.
Mortality Risks
Older age, unplanned hospital visits, and cancer were major factors linked to higher death rates in hospitals, especially during the pandemic.
Coastal Community Challenges
These findings reflect typical struggles in coastal towns, which often have older populations, weaker healthcare systems, and higher rates of health problems.
Results
The results revealed that areas with better housing and income, but higher health and disability deprivation experienced increased food insecurity post-pandemic, as indicated by rising free school meal eligibility.
Mental health trends remained largely stable during the pandemic's initial 14 months but were significantly impacted by unemployment, cardiovascular, and respiratory conditions, with adolescents and young adults particularly vulnerable.
Hospital mortality risks, influenced by COVID-19 and comorbidities, highlighted the challenges faced by coastal communities characterised by aging populations, strained healthcare systems, and prevalent chronic illnesses.
Implications
The study reveals hidden vulnerabilities in coastal towns like Fleetwood, where the pandemic exposed worsening food insecurity and mental health challenges, particularly in areas with better housing but higher health and disability issues.
Free school meal eligibility highlights food insecurity but misses at-risk groups like low-income working families, emphasising the need for more nuanced measures. Mental health, though stable early in the pandemic, remains strongly tied to unemployment, poor physical health, and social isolation.
These findings suggest policymakers must prioritise detailed, localised data to address these challenges effectively. Combining targeted interventions—such as job support, health programs, and community-building initiatives—with an understanding of fine-scale spatial and demographic dynamics is crucial to prevent future crises, like food shortages, from worsening health disparities in vulnerable coastal communities.
Learn more about the impact of food insecurity in the UK Coastal Town.
References
Cain, R., French, M., & Sedda, L. (2023). Food insecurity, mental health and in-hospital mortality following the COVID-19 pandemic in a socially deprived UK coastal town. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, 6(1), 100–107. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjnph-2022-000561
Comments