COVID-19 pandemic impact on food insecurity among college students: A mixed methods study

Abstract

Objectives: This study explores whether the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among US college students. Participants: College students (n = 489) enrolled at a Mid-Atlantic university. Methods: A mixed methods design was utilized for data collection and analysis through an electronic survey and semi-structured interviews. Multiple regression was used to assess predictors of FI before and during COVID-19. The McNemar test determined if significant differences in FI existed. The interviews were used to explore students’ personal experience with FI during the pandemic. Results: Black students (p = 0.045) and students moving in with their parents due to campus closures (p = 0.032) exhibited a higher degree of FI during the pandemic than before. Three main themes emerged from the interviews: decreased food autonomy, limited access to food, and limited access to healthful food. Conclusions: The pandemic increased the prevalence of FI among college students. Race and living arrangements were strong predictors of FI.

Keywords:

• College students
• COVID-19
• food insecurity
• mixed methods

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Towson University.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Towson University College of Health Professions’ Rapid Funding Opportunity in Response to COVID-19