Impacts of COVID-19 on Food Access: A Case Study of Maricopa County

Keywords: COVID-19, Food Access, Quantitative, Influence Factor
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 4

Abstract

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 as a pandemic (CoronaVirus Disease-2019). To slow down the spread of COVID-19, many countries worldwide enacted regulatory actions such as shelter-in-place, social distancing, and temporary closure of businesses. Accordingly, people’s lifestyle and travel methods have undergone tremendous changes. Food shopping is one of the most important daily activities. This research aims to examine impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access and how such impacts vary among different population groups. We developed an online survey to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of the CVOID-19 pandemic on food access in Maricopa county. A total of 538 respondents who are residents in Maricopa county and primary shoppers of their households are collected. The potential factors concerning socioeconomic and demographic variables, food assistance program participation, trip-chaining behavior, food environment, and lifestyle change were examined. The study helps understand consumer grocery shopping patterns under crises such as COVID-19, and provides important insights into planning of food assistance services and preparation for future shocks.