Document Tag: food insecurity

Exploration of Barriers to Use of Community Food Resources in Community College Students in Rural Appalachia (2023)

Food insecurity in college students worsened during the COVID pandemic. However, students are often hesitant to access food assistance. The purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of barriers to the use of food assistance. In 2021, students (n = 13) were recruited from a Kentucky college. Virtual interviews were conducted. Further research is needed to explore other barriers to use of food assistance. Research is needed to evaluate interventions aimed at decreasing the stigma of food assistance in college students.

Constructed Pathways: How Multiply-Marginalized Students Navigate Food Insecurity at Selective Universities (2024)

Studies about collegiate food insecurity show its prevalence as a national issue that disproportionately affects students from marginalized groups. This study further contextualizes this work, examining the ways that multiply-marginalized students navigate systems of privilege and opportunity at selective, normatively affluent universities to meet food needs and pursue personal goals. Findings from this multi-institutional qualitative study highlight asset-based approaches by which students leverage institutional interest in their marginal identities as navigational strategies. Conclusions point to the value of ‘‘student pathways navigation’’ as a conceptual and analytic approach to understanding how students manage collegiate environments.

Nurturing Success: Empowering Human Services Students to Lead a Campus Food Pantry (2023)

Recent research has shed light on the concerning issue of food insecurity among college students in the United States. According to recent reports, approximately 30% of college students experience food insecurity (CUFBA, 2020). This problem has serious implications, as financial concerns often force students to leave college without completing their degrees (Johnson, 2009). In response to this growing challenge, campus-based food pantries have emerged as a potential solution. However, colleges and universities are facing budget constraints and funding limitations, making it increasingly difficult to meet the needs of financially struggling students.
This article explores the role of Human Services programs in addressing food insecurity on college campuses through the development of campus food pantries. By utilizing service-learning, internships, and field practicum courses within Human Services programs, colleges and universities can effectively tackle this issue. These programs can provide the necessary labor force and expertise, while also partnering with local agencies to secure essential supplies. This approach becomes crucial when state resources are limited or reduced. Engaging Human Services students in campus food pantries not only helps address the immediate need for food assistance, but also offers valuable experiential learning opportunities. Students gain practical experience in serving their communities and understanding the challenges associated with food insecurity. This symbiotic arrangement benefits both students and the college communities they are part of, creating a win-win situation for all those involved.

Food insecurity among Division I student-athletes at a California State University: A mixed methods study (2023)

According to the 2020 Hope Survey, 38% of two-year college students and 29% of four-year college students experienced food insecurity. The distinct lifestyle of student-athletes may place them at an even greater risk for experiencing food insecurity and its consequences as compared to non-student-athletes. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of food insecurity among 98 student-athletes at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), and explored its impact on their athletic and academic performances and emotional well-being. The current study utilized a mixed-methods, cross-sectional design. An online survey was used to assess food security status, fruit and vegetable intake, reliance on athletic department fueling stations, and other sociodemographic variables. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the impact of food insecurity on athletic performance, academic performance, and emotional well-being. Of the 98 student-athletes, 34.7% were food insecure. Reliance on the fueling station as a primary source of food for the day and reduced fruit and vegetable intake were identified as significant predictors of food insecurity. Results from eight semi-structured interviews revealed that food intake impacts energy levels during class and athletic events, and in the overall quality of athletic performance. Additionally, unequal access to resources within the fueling station was seen as a barrier to their success. Future research should investigate the prevalence of food insecurity among student-athletes and assess the use of the athletic department fueling station as an intervention to mitigate food insecurity among this population.

“I can’t learn when I’m hungry”: Responding to U.S. college student basic needs insecurity in pedagogy and practice (2023)

Food insecurity and other basic needs insecurities were pressing concerns for U.S. college students prior to the COVID-19 crisis and are even more so now. These issues disproportionately impact minoritized students, making addressing basic needs an issue of educational equity. As feminist teacher-scholars, we reflect in this essay on what it means to teach in the context of student basic needs insecurities, drawing on our experiences from launching an interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to combatting food insecurity on our campus. In doing so, we seek to catalyze changes within and beyond the classroom to better support students.

College Student Food and Housing Insecurity: Students’ Perceived Determinants, Consequences, and Resilience (2023)

This qualitative study was designed to explore contributing factors to and consequences of college students’ food and housing insecurity as well as protective factors for retention. We conducted an inductive thematic analysis of interviews with 13 demographically diverse students at a public university who had experienced recent food insecurity and/or homelessness. Results revealed themes of the dynamic experiences of food and housing insecurity, the interplay of these with transportation, and risk and protective factors contributing to their resilience as indicated by persistence in college. We provide policy and practice recommendations based on the findings and directions for future research.

The Cumulative Impact of Unmet Essential Needs on Indicators of Attrition: Findings from a Population-Based Sample of Public University Students in the Bronx, NY (2023)

In recent decades, a growing proportion of college students have experienced nancial stress, resulting in unmet essential needs including food insecurity, housing instability, lack of healthcare access, and inadequate mental health treatment. Given that urban-based public universities constitute a substantial proportion of the U.S. college student population, understanding how unmet needs affect academic achievement in this population is crucial for developing strategies that alleviate college failure and dropout. We examined the cumulative impact of unmet essential needs on indicators of college attrition (dropout, leave of absence, risk of academic probation). The sample comprised a population-representative sample of 1,833 students attending one of three urban public colleges in the Bronx, NY. Employing multinomial and binomial logistic regression models, we assessed how total unmet essential needs predicts any indicator of college attrition. Each unit increase in unmet need increased the odds of having any attrition indicator by 32% (p < 0.01). Students with one unmet need had 17% greater odds (p = 0.04), students with two unmet needs had 55% greater odds (p < 0.01), students with three unmet needs had 73% greater odds (p < 0.01), and students with four unmet needs had 82% greater odds (p < 0.01) of having any attrition indicator. Findings revealed a modest dose-response relationship between the number of unmet needs and the likelihood of experiencing indicators of attrition, supporting a potential causal link between unmet needs on the risk of attrition. Designing interventions aimed at college students with multiple unmet essential needs, and addressing these needs holistically, can potentially enhance student retention and graduation rates.