Negative impact of chronic pandemic-specific financial stress on food security among college students

Authors

Julia N. Soulakova,, University of Central Florida
Lisa J. Crockett, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Mary Schmidt-Owens, University of Central Florida
Eric W. Schrimshaw, University of Central Florida

Date of this Version

7-10-2023

Citation

Julia N. Soulakova, Lisa J. Crockett, Mary Schmidt-Owens & Eric W. Schrimshaw (2023): Negative impact of chronic pandemic-specific financial stress on food security among college students, Journal of American College Health, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2237589

Comments

Open access.

Abstract

Since the pandemic started, food insecurity has become a more serious issue for U.S. college students. The study goals were to evaluate whether pandemic-specific stress contributes to current food insecurity (as of February–March of 2022) and to determine which student characteristics are associated with food insecurity. We used the 2022 Spring American College Health Association— National College Health Assessment data (n = 620) collected at a public university. We estimated two multiple logistic regression models. The odds of having very low food security (OR = 8.65, 95% CI = 4.84:15.43) and low food security (OR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.66:4.96) were significantly higher among students whose financial situation had become a lot more stressful as a result of the pandemic (relative to the other students). Sexual and gender minority, relationship, and current tobacco use statuses were associated with very low food security. There is a need for continued efforts to decrease the negative impact of the pandemic on students’ food security.