Scale Overview
The U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form (HFSSM-SF) was developed by Gary Bickel, Mark Nord, Price C., William Hamilton, John Cook (2000). It is designed to measure Food Security. The scale is intended for use with Adults / Households.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 6 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Negative response (Never true / No / Only 1 or 2 months), 1 = Affirmative response (Often/Sometimes true / Yes / Almost every month or Some months).
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 6. Interpretation guidelines:
- Food secure: 0 – 1
- Food insecure without hunger: 2 – 4
- Food insecure with hunger: 5 – 6
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.