Material Hardship

Instructions: I’m going to read you several statements that people have made about their food situation.

For these statements, please tell me whether the statement was often true, sometimes true, or never true for [you/your household] in the last 12 months—that is, since last [name of current month].

The first statement is,

1. “The food that [I/we] bought just didn’t last, and [I/we] didn’t have money to get more.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for [you/your household] in the last 12 months?

2. [I/we] couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for [you/your household] in the last 12 months?

3. In the last 12 months, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn’t enough money for food?

4. In the last 12 months, were you ever hungry but didn’t eat because there wasn’t enough money for food?

5. In the last 12 months, since last [name of current month], did [you/you or other adults in your household] ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food?

If respondent answered yes, ask:

6. How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?