To investigate the relationship between US containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and household food insecurity.

To investigate these relationships, we developed a framework linking COVID-19-related containment policies with different domains of food security and then used multilevel random effects models to examine associations between state-level containment policies and household food security. Our framework depicts theorised linkages between stringency policies and five domains of food security (availability, physical access, economic access, acceptability in meeting preferences and agency, which includes both self-efficacy and infrastructure). We used US national data from a representative survey data from the National Food Access and COVID research Team that was fielded in July–August 2020 and April 2021. Containment policy measures came from the Oxford Stringency Index and included policies such as stay-at-home orders, closing of public transit and workplace closures.

The USA.

3071 adult individuals from the National Food Access and COVID research Team survey.

We found no significant associations between state-level containment policies and overall food insecurity at the state level or any of the individual domains of food insecurity.

This research suggests that while food insecurity across all domains was a significant problem during the studied phases of the pandemic, it was not associated with these containment measures. Therefore, impacts may have been successfully mitigated, likely through a suite of policies aimed at maintaining food security, including the declaration of food workers as essential and the expansion of federal nutrition programmes.

Modern digital strategies, including Internet of Things, machine learning, and mobile applications, have revolutionized situational awareness during disaster management. Despite their importance, no review of digital strategies to support emergency food security efforts has been conducted. This scoping review fills that gap.

Keywords were defined within the concepts of food assistance, digital technology, and disasters. After the database searches, PRISMA guidelines were followed to perform a partnered, 2-round scoping literature review.

The search identified 3201 articles, and 26 articles met criteria and were included in the analysis. The data types used to describe the tools were text/opinion (42.3%), qualitative (23.1%), system architecture (19.2%), quantitative and qualitative (11.5 %), and quantitative (3.8%). The tools’ main functions were Resource Allocation (41.7%), Data Collection and Management (33%), Interagency Communications (15.4 %), Beneficiary Communications (11.5%), and Fundraising (7.7%). The platforms used to achieve these goals were Mobile Application (36%), Internet of Things (20%), Website (20%), and Mobile Survey (8%); 92% covered the disaster response phase.

Digital tools for planning, situational awareness, client choice, and recovery are needed to support emergency food assistance, but there is a lack of these tools and research on their effectiveness across all disaster phases.