In the previous sections, the responses of the migrants in terms of their experiences, views and attitudes towards food security were presented. This section will examine the relationship between the questionnaire respondents’ demographic profiles and their experiences, views and attitudes towards food security.
4.7.1 Factors that affect the experiences of food security by migrants
This section explores the association and relationship between the questionnaire respondent’s characteristics such as gender, region of origin, length of stay in Tasmania, English language proficiency level, marital status and educational level (independent variables) and their experiences with food security and those factors affecting their food security experiences in Tasmania (dependent variables), using Chi-square (χ2) and ordinal logistic regression.
It must be noted that only those factors that are shown to be significant (p-values ≤0.05) are reported. The findings are discussed in detail below.
12.8 55.8 25.6 4.6 1.2 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Excellent Good Fine Poor Very poor
Per ce n tage (% )
4.7.1.1 Knowledge about food
The gender, length of stay in Tasmania and English language proficiency level of a migrant were shown to be significantly correlated with the migrants’ level of
knowledge about food as demonstrated in Table 4.2, Table 4.3 and Table 4.4. There was no statistical significance between any other variables.
4.7.1.1.1 Gender and food knowledge
Table 4.2 indicates that there was a statistically significant relationship between the gender of a migrant and their level of knowledge about food in Tasmania (Wald χ2 (1) = 4.899, p = 0.027 < 0.05). Male migrants were 1.664 times less likely to know about food in Tasmania than female migrants.
Table 4.2: Ordinal logistic regression of gender and food knowledge in Tasmania
Gender OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Female Reference
Male 1.664 1.060 to 2.612 4.899 1 0.027
4.7.1.1.2 Length of stay in Tasmania and food knowledge
Table 4.3 indicates that there was a statistically significant relationship between the amount of time a migrant had lived in Tasmania and their level of knowledge about food in Tasmania (Wald χ2 (3) = 20.047, p = 0.000 < 0.05). The respondents who had lived in Tasmania for less than one year were shown to be 3.658 times less likely to know about food in Tasmania than those who had lived in Tasmania over three years. This relationship remained significant but decreased with time, as those who had lived two to three years in Tasmania were 2.968 times less likely to know about food in Tasmania than migrants who had lived in Tasmania for over three years. Table 4.3: Ordinal logistic regression of length of stay in Tasmania and knowledge about food in Tasmania
Length of stay in Tasmania
OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Over 3 years Reference
Less than 1 year 3.658 1.882 to 7.111 14.626 1 0.000
4.7.1.1.3 English language proficiency and food knowledge
Table 4.4 indicates that there was a statistically significant relationship between the English proficiency level of a migrant and their level of knowledge about food in Tasmania (Wald χ2 (2) = 13.058, p = 0.001 < 0.05). The respondents who self-graded their English proficiency level as Fine were 2.921 times less likely to know about food in Tasmania than those who graded their English language proficiency level as Excellent.
Table 4.4: Ordinal logistic regression of English language proficiency level and knowledge about food in Tasmania
English language proficiency level
OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Excellent Reference
Fine 2.921 1.590 to 5.366 11.936 1 0.001
4.7.2 Factors that affect the views of migrants on food security in Tasmania
4.7.2.1 View on increasing food choices in local food outlets
The data analysis (Figure 4.26) showed that 77.1% of the migrant respondents Agreed and Strongly agreed that there needed to be an increase in food choices in local food outlets.
Table 4.5: Ordinal logistic regression of region of origin and view on increasing food choices in local food outlets
Region of origin OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Non-Asia Reference
Asia 2.581 1.427 to 4.668 9.838 1 0.002
Table 4.6: Ordinal logistic regression of marital status and view on increasing food choices in local food outlets
Marital status OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Widowed Reference
Single/never married 9.959 2.148 to 46.174 8.624 1 0.003
Table 4.5 shows that there was a statistically significant relationship between the region of origin of the migrant and their view of the need for an increase in food choices in local food outlets (Wald χ2 (1) = 9.838, p = 0.002 < 0.05). Table 4.6 shows that there was a statistically significant relationship between the marital status of the migrant and their view of the need for increasing food choices in local food outlets (Wald χ2 (3) = 8.840, p = 0.031 < 0.05). Those respondents from Asia were 2.581 times more likely to agree that there needed to be an increase in the food choices in local food outlets than those from other regions. Migrants who were single, had never married and were married were more likely to agree that there needed to be an increase in the food choices in local food outlets than those respondents who were widowed.
4.7.2.2 View on increasing traditional food choices for people from different countries/cultures
The data analysis (Figure 4.26) showed that 82.8% of the respondents Agreed and Strongly agreed that they would like to have more traditional food choices in local stores. Table 4.7 shows that there was a statistically significant relationship
between the region of origin of the migrant and their view that they would like to have more traditional food choices in local stores (Wald χ2 (1) = 13.327, p = 0.000 < 0.05). The Asian respondents were shown to be 2.832 times more likely to want an increase in the traditional food choices than respondents from other regions. Table 4.7: Ordinal logistic regression of region of origin and view on increasing traditional food choices for people from different countries/culture
Region of origin OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Non-Asia Reference
Asia 2.832 1.619 to 4.953 13.327 1 0.000
4.7.2.3 View on lowering the food prices in local food outlets
The data analysis (Figure 4.26) showed that 84.7% of the respondents Agreed to Strongly agreed that they would like lower food prices in local food outlets. Table 4.8 shows that there was a statistically significant relationship between the
educational level of a migrant and their view that they would like lower food prices in local food outlets (Wald χ2 (2) = 8.657, p = 0.013 < 0.05). The respondents with tertiary qualifications were 3.577 times more likely to agree that food prices should
be lower than those migrants who completed primary school. There was no statistically significant relationship between the other educational levels of the migrants and the view that they would like lower food prices in local food outlets. Table 4.8: Ordinal logistic regression of educational level and view on lowering the food prices in local food outlets
Educational level OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Completed primary school Reference
Tertiary/university qualification
3.577 1.502 to 8.516 8.292 1 0.004
4.7.2.4 The importance of access to public transport to the food security of migrants in Tasmania
53.5% of the migrant respondents rated access to public transport as Important to Very important for food security (Figure 4.29). Table 4.9 shows that there was a statistically significant relationship between a migrant’s English language proficiency level and the level of importance of given to access to public transport for food security (Wald χ2 (2) = 6.235, p = 0.044 < 0.05). Migrants with self-assessed English language proficiency levels as Good were 1.854 times more likely to view access to public transport as an important influence on food security when compared to those migrants with an Excellent English language proficiency level. There was no statistically significant relationship between other English language proficiency levels and the level of importance given to access to public transport for food security.
Table 4.9: Ordinal logistic regression of English language proficiency level and the importance of access to public transport influencing food security
English language proficiency level
OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Excellent Reference
Good 1.854 1.141 to 3.010 6.225 1 0.013
4.7.2.5 The importance of cultural background to the food security of migrants in Tasmania
The data analysis (Figure 4.29) demonstrated that 64.4% of the migrant
respondents rated cultural background as an Important to Very important influence on the food security of migrants in Tasmania. Table 4.10 shows that there was a
statistically significant relationship between a migrant’s region of origin and their view of the importance of cultural background as an influence on food security (Wald χ2 (1) = 5.194, p = 0.023 < 0.05). Asian migrants viewed cultural background as more important to impact food security than migrants from other regions. Table 4.11 shows that there was a statistically significant relationship between a migrant’s English language proficiency and their view of the importance of cultural background as an influence on food security (Wald χ2 (2) = 10.626, p = 0.005 < 0.05). The migrants with Good English language proficiency levels indicated that cultural background was more likely to influence food security when compared to migrants with Excellent English language proficiency level. There was no statistical
significance between other English language proficiency levels.
Table 4.10: Ordinal logistic regression of region of origin and the importance of cultural background influencing food security
Region of origin OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Non-Asia Reference
Asia 1.867 1.091 to 3.195 5.194 1 0.023
Table 4.11: Ordinal logistic regression of English language proficiency level and the importance of cultural background influencing food security
English language proficiency level
OR 95%CI Wald 2 df p-value
Excellent Reference
Good 2.151 1.271 to 3.641 14.626 1 0.004