Abstract
The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has raised significant concerns about its potential impact on living conditions, with fears of worsening food insecurity, economic instability, and access to essential services, although the full extent of these effects remains uncertain. This study examines the intricate relationship between socioeconomic factors, food consumption patterns, access to essential resources, quality of life, and food insecurity among Afghan households before and after the Taliban regime. Through interviews with 555 households, we assessed food insecurity (via the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale), quality of life (via the WHOQOL-100 framework), food consumption patterns (via Household Consumption Expenditure Survey), access to public resources (via a Likert scale questionnaire), and socioeconomic status (via Canadian Community Health Survey). Mediation modeling was applied to test the bidirectional association between food security and quality of life. Study findings revealed that approximately 90% of households experienced varying degrees of food insecurity, leading to reduced food consumption, and severely limited access to vital resources after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Consequently, there was a significant decline across all measured domains of quality of life. Notably, a bidirectional association between food insecurity and quality of life was identified, suggesting that deteriorating living conditions may exacerbate food insecurity, and vice versa. These findings underscore the urgent need for coordinated efforts among policymakers and stakeholders to address the root causes of food insecurity and enhance overall well-being in Afghanistan during this challenging period. By shedding light on the complexities of these interconnected challenges, future studies can help inform targeted interventions aimed at fostering the resilience and recovery of Afghan households.