Food Insecurity and Its Associated Factors among Dayak Elderly In Southern Sarawak

Leh Shii, Law (2025) Food Insecurity and Its Associated Factors among Dayak Elderly In Southern Sarawak. In: Postgraduate Research Conference 2025 (POGRAC 2025), 2 October 2025, Auditorium, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras.

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Abstract

Food insecurity is a critical public health concern among older adults, especially in vulnerable and indigenous communities. This study aimed to examine its prevalence and explore associated determinants among the Dayak elderly population in southern Sarawak, Malaysia. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted involving 311 Dayak elderly aged 6092 years, recruited from selected villages across Kuching, Samarahan, and Serian divisions using proportionate cluster sampling. Data were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, social support, food environment, functional ability, oral health, and food insecurity status. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. The prevalence of food insecurity among the Dayak elderly was 26.4%. The odds of facing food insecurity were much higher for women (AOR 2.292, 95% CI = 1.052-4.993), those with a low household income (AOR 20.617, 95% CI = 2.635-161.342), individuals lacking savings (AOR 2.629, 95% CI = 1.332-5.191), those who had trouble getting to faraway food stores (AOR 4.107, 95% CI = 1.855-9.904), and individuals with only fair oral health (AOR 3.43, 95% CI = 1.166-10.09). Conversely, factors associated with a decreased likelihood of food insecurity included being single/widowed (AOR 0.362, 95% CI = 0.157-0.836) and receiving financial assistance (AOR 0.323, 95% CI = 0.154-0.675). These findings highlight the urgent need for tailored interventions addressing socioeconomic vulnerabilities, improving physical access to food, and incorporating oral health considerations into food security programs targeting elderly indigenous populations in Sarawak.

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