Impact of food security on coping strategies: a comparison of high school and college perceptions (2024)

Objective: To examine coping strategies in relation to student experience of food insecurity during the transitionary period from high school to college. Participants: Freshmen undergraduates (n=231) enrolled in one of two public universities during December of 2021, living in traditional student housing. Methods: Participants were emailed a link to a USDA 6-item food insecurity and coping strategies survey to investigate if students’ degree of food insecurity correlates to coping strategies used. Questions were answered about experiences as a high school senior and college freshman. Data was analyzed with group comparison tests. Results: Food insecurity rates approximately doubled from students’ high school experience to college. Students with lower food security during both their high school and college experience were significantly more likely to practice coping strategies. Conclusion: Improving education on utilization of available resources may help students obtain adequate nutrition, decreasing their need to rely on coping strategies.