Kj. Welch et al., MEASURING HUNGER IN THE RUSSIAN-FEDERATION USING THE RADIMER CORNELL HUNGER SCALE/, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 76(2), 1998, pp. 143-148
Compared in the study are the results obtained using the Radimer/Corne
ll hunger scale to measure the prevalence of hunger in random samples
of mothers and their households in the Russian Federation and in the U
SA in 1993. The 12 items in the scale measured hunger at three levels:
household, women, and children. If the mother answered positively to
one of the four items at a particular level, hunger was established fo
r that level. The prevalence of hunger in the Russian Federation was v
ery high: approximately 77% of the women surveyed, 70% of the househol
ds, and 32% of the children were classified as hungry. The correspondi
ng estimated prevalences of hunger in New York State in 1993 were 46.8
%, 25.9% and 18.3%. In both surveys, children were the least likely to
be classified as hungry and, if they were, their mothers and househol
ds were almost always hungry. In both surveys, the hunger scale proved
to have criterion-related validity Basic indicators of household soci
oeconomic and demographic well-being were highly related to the three
levels of hunger. The higher level of hunger in the Russian survey can
be explained by the very low incomes. Further study of the nutritiona
l status of the Russian population is recommended.