Food Insecurity
Among Drug Addicts in Israel:
Implications for Social Work Practice
Roni Kaufman
Richard Isralowitz
Alex Reznik
ABSTRACT. The intent of this article is to introduce the problem of
food insecurity and hunger as a concern for social workers addressing
drug addiction and the needs of addicts in Israel. This article discusses
the results of a study comparing the food insecurity problem among ad-
dicts and non-drug addicts. Specifically, the objectives of this study
were: (1) to conduct an analysis of the level of food insecurity in Israel;
(2) to examine which individual characteristics are related to food inse-
curity among addicts and non-addicts; and (3) to better understand how
food insecurity can be addressed in the context of social work treat-
ment for addicts. Policy and practice recommendations are discussed.
[Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Ser-
vice: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <docdelivery@haworthpress.com>
Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2005 by The Haworth Press,
Inc. All rights reserved.]
KEYWORDS. Food insecurity, hunger, addiction, drug addicts, food
programs, social work
Roni Kaufman, PhD, is Lecturer, Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion Univer-
sity of the Negev, Israel. Richard Isralowitz, PhD, is Professor and Director, and Alex
Reznik, PhD, is Research Associate, Israel Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Resource
Center, Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
Address correspondence to: Dr. Roni Kaufman, PhD, Department of Social Work,
Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Isreal 84105 (E-mail: ronika@
bgumail.bgu.ac.il).
Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, Vol. 5(3) 2005
Available online at http://www.haworthpress.com/web/JSWPA
© 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1300/J160v05n03_03 21