Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Food Security in Ketchikan Alaska

Abstract

Ketchikan, Alaska is Alaska's First City and is famously known as the Salmon Capital of the world. Ketchikan is Lingít Aaní, the ancestral land of the Taantʼá Ḵwáan and Saanya Ḵwáan people of Revillagigedo Island.1 Ketchikan Gateway Borough is home to 13,754 residents.2 Being located on an island presents unique challenges to the residents regarding food security. Food that is not harvested or grown locally is shipped via barge from Seattle, WA. Limited published research exists regarding food security in Alaska, and primary research on food security in Ketchikan is nonexistent. The goal of this study is to analyze food insecurity and related variables in Ketchikan, AK. The study’s objectives are to measure food insecurity using results from an online survey, identify the most prevalent perceived barriers and facilitators to food security, and determine potential associations between food security status and barriers/facilitators to food security in Ketchikan, AK. This study utilized a retrospective (the past 12 months) cross-sectional study design to ascertain perceived barriers and facilitators to food security in Ketchikan, Alaska. A one-time, electronic survey was made available on Qualtrics and advertised via flyers, social media, and tables at a grocery store. Chi-square analyses were used to determine significant (p < 0.05) associations between food security status and perceived barriers and facilitators. The total sample analyzed was 108 Ketchikan residents. A significant relationship was found between food security status and access to transportation, sufficient money, the availability of meat, avoiding the grocery store: not due to COVID-19, receiving food from food bank, etc. and expense of food.