Abstract
According to the 2021 USDA Food Security Report, 10.2 percent of households in the US were food insecure at some point in 2021 (USDA, 2022). Other surveys studying food insecurity in low-income adults in the US showed that as high as 44% were food insecure, with the highest incidences among Blacks, Hispanics, or households with children living at home (Owens et al, 2020; Wolfson & Leung, 2020). Research suggests that food insecurity among college students has a weighted estimate of 41% (Nikolaus, et al, 2020). One of the ways in which colleges and universities have tried to alleviate food insecurity was to establish on-site food pantries (Broton & Goldrick-Rab, 2016). Considering the prevalence of food insecurity among college students, this paper reports the results of a research study conducted to determine the food insecurity levels at a faith-based university in the US. The survey is using the USDA Adult Food Security Survey scale items utilizing a quantitative, non-experimental research design with a non-probability convenience sampling method. As the current body of literature focuses on food insecurity mostly among college students attending public institutions, it is important to understand the perspective of students enrolled in a private, faith-based university. The results of the study are framed in the experiences with the on-campus food pantry, as well as recommendations to address food insecurity at the policy and practice levels applicable to other institutions of higher education addressing student needs in a post-pandemic society.
Presenters
Laura RacovitaProfessor of Social Work/ Dean, Social Work, Southern Adventist University, Tennessee, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Food insecurity, Higher education, Health, Mental Health
