scholarly journals Experiences of Food Insecurity Among Undergraduate Students: “You Can’t Starve Yourself Through School”

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-148
Author(s):  
Merryn Sanders Maynard ◽  
Samantha B Meyer ◽  
Christopher M Perlman ◽  
Sharon I Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Health And Academic Achievement ◽  
Depth Interviews

Canadian post-secondary students are vulnerable to food insecurity, yet lack of examination of this issue has prevented identification of policy and program solutions. This mixed-methods study aimed to characterize the experience of food insecurity among undergraduate students by eliciting barriers to food security, strategies used to manage food and money shortages, and perceived implications for health and academic achievement. Surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 students who demonstrated compromised financial access to food. Students normalized experiences of food insecurity as typical of post-secondary education but expressed anxiety and frustration with financial inaccessibility to healthy food, and described negative implications for their physical and mental health and their ability to perform well in school. Ongoing attempts to adapt or adjust to food insecurity had limited success. Findings highlight the need to challenge the “starving student” ideology, which normalizes the lack of access to healthy food during higher education.  

scholarly journals Experiences of Food Insecurity Among Undergraduate Students: “You Can’t Starve Yourself Through School”

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merryn Sanders Maynard ◽  
Samantha B Meyer ◽  
Christopher M Perlman ◽  
Sharon I Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Health And Academic Achievement ◽  
Depth Interviews

Canadian post-secondary students are vulnerable to food insecurity, yet lack of examination of this issue has prevented identification of policy and program solutions. This mixed-methods study aimed to characterize the experience of food insecurity among undergraduate students by eliciting barriers to food security, strategies used to manage food and money shortages, and perceived implications for health and academic achievement. Surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 students who demonstrated compromised financial access to food. Students normalized experiences of food insecurity as typical of post-secondary education but expressed anxiety and frustration with financial inaccessibility to healthy food, and described negative implications for their physical and mental health and their ability to perform well in school. Ongoing attempts to adapt or adjust to food insecurity had limited success. Findings highlight the need to challenge the “starving student” ideology, which normalizes the lack of access to healthy food during higher education.

Food Insecurity among College Students Differs by Questionnaire Modality: An Exploratory Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-89
Author(s):  
Cassandra J. Nikolaus ◽  
Brenna Ellison ◽  
Sharon M. Nickols-Richardson
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Random Sample ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Percent Agreement ◽  
Paper And Pencil

Objectives: Literature suggests that college (ie, post-secondary) students experience food insecurity (FI) at alarming rates. However, the commonly used FI questionnaires have undergone limited evaluations for accuracy in this sub-population. The objective of this exploratory study was to evaluate if FI estimates among college students differ by survey distribution modality. Methods: A test-retest study was conducted from October to December 2017. A random sample of undergraduate students (N = 343) participated in an online survey. After completing the survey, a random sample of these students (N = 66; 29%) completed the same items in paper-and-pencil format. Responses were compared with percent agreement and kappa (κ) coefficients. Results: Students were less likely to affirm each item on paper-and-pencil questionnaires. Percent agreement ranged from 71.2% to 96.9% across items, and κ coefficients ranged from poor to fair. FI prevalence differed by 15% between online and paper-and-pencil assessments (40.9% and 25.8%, respectively). Percent agreement for FI categorization was 75.8% and κ=0.47. Conclusions: Differing survey modalities resulted in varying FI classifications in a sample of under-graduate students. Though limited by size and representativeness, this supports the need for further testing of FI surveys, as accurate FI estimates are essential to serving college students.

scholarly journals Starving to be a student: The experiences of food insecurity among undergraduate students in Nova Scotia, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-125
Author(s):  
Meredith Bessey ◽  
Lesley Frank ◽  
Patricia L. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Funding Programs ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Student Funding

Household food insecurity (HFI) exists when access to food is inadequate or insecure due to financial constraints, and is an issue of increasing concern among postsecondary students who face barriers to food access due to precarious finances. The goal of the current study was to explore the experience of HFI among university students in Nova Scotia (NS), including barriers and facilitators, and potential policy solutions to the issue from the perspective of students. Twelve semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with students experiencing HFI from across NS. Phenomenological analysis was undertaken, using Radimer’s model of HFI as a theoretical framework. Key aspects of the experience of food insecurity in this sample included all four dimensions of Radimer’s model of HFI: quantitative, qualitative, psychological, and social. The main contributing factor to student’s difficulties accessing food was inadequate and precarious finances. Students highlighted various coping mechanisms, such as utilizing food banks, budgeting their money, and buying food in bulk. This study is an important next step to a better understanding of the experience of student HFI in NS, building on previous quantitative research. Findings suggest that while the experience of HFI has many similarities with the experience in other populations, students experience tensions between independence and reliance on their family and have unique struggles related to government financial supports. The findings point to necessary policy changes related to student funding programs, and suggest that relying on campus food banks to solve the issue of HFI among students is inadequate.

Learners’ Technological Acceptance of VR Content Development: A Sequential 3-Part Use Case Study of Diverse Post-Secondary Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. 343-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinh T. Nguyen ◽  
Rebecca Hite ◽  
Tommy Dang
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Use Case ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Content Development ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Post Secondary Students

Web-based virtual reality (VR) development tools are in ubiquitous use by software developers, and now, university (undergraduate) students, to move beyond using, to creating new and energizing VR content. Web-based VR (WebVR), among other libraries and frameworks, have risen as a low-cost platform for users to create rich and intuitive VR content and applications. However, the success of WebVR as an instructional tool relies on post-secondary students technological acceptance (TA), the intersectionality of a user’s perceived utility (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU, or convenience) with said technological tool. Yet, there is a dearth of exploratory studies of students’ experiences with the AR/VR development technologies to infer their TA. To ascertain the viability of WebVR tools for software engineering undergraduates in the classroom, this paper presents a 3-case contextual investigation of 38 undergraduate students tasked with creating VR content. In each use case, students were provided increasing freedom in their VR content development parameters. Results indicated that students demonstrated elements of technological acceptance in their selection of webVR and other platforms, and not only successfully creating rich and robust VR content (PU), but also executing these projects in a short period (PEOU). Other positive externalities observed were students exhibitions of soft skills (e.g. creativity, critical thinking) and different modes of demonstrating coding knowledge, which suggest further study. Discussed are the lessons learned from the WebVR and VR/AR interventions and recommendations for WebVR instruction. This work may be helpful for both learners and teachers using VR/AR in selecting, designing, and developing coursework materials, tools, and libraries.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity Among International Post-Secondary Students Studying on a Canadian Campus: A Qualitative Description Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 33-45
Author(s):  
Mahitab Hanbazaza ◽  
Maryam Kebbe ◽  
Arnaldo Perez ◽  
Geoff Ball ◽  
Anna P. Farmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Qualitative Description ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Post Secondary Students

Enrollment of international post-secondary students is increasing across Canadian campuses. International post-secondary students may experience challenges in accessing nutritious foods that meet their dietary needs and food preferences. These challenges can pose negative impacts on their health, well-being, and academic achievement. Our aim was to describe international post-secondary students’ perceptions of (1) challenges to attaining food security and (2) consequences of food insecurity on the university experience. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 11 international post-secondary students who had food insecurity, were enrolled at a public university in Canada, and who had requested emergency foodhampers from the on-campus food bank. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using manifest, inductive content analysis. International post-secondary students reported several logistical issues related to obtaining sufficient food, including a lack of time, limited family support, modest food preparation skills, and low knowledge about supportive services and resources. Students also faced challenges in sourcing culturally appropriate foods, including issues related to food availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability. Further, they perceived food insecurity to negatively influence their academic performance through compromised concentration, reduced class and exam attendance, and adverse mpactson physical, mental, and social well-being. Some students reported extreme food deprivation, resulting in hunger. Our results revealed the negative impacts that food insecurity can have on international post-secondary students. Findings underscore the imperative to minimize the occurrence of food insecurity while studying in Canada by introducing and enhancing support systems on campus and in the community to enable food security.

scholarly journals Student food insecurity at the University of Manitoba

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Entz ◽  
Joyce Slater ◽  
Annette Aurélie Desmarais
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
School Year ◽  
Demographic Indicators ◽  
Canadian Population ◽  
University Of Manitoba ◽  
The University

While rates of food insecurity among various sectors of Canadian population are well documented, food security among post-secondary students as a particularly vulnerable population has emerged in recent years as an area of research. Based on a survey of 548 students in the 2015/16 school year, this article examines the extent of food insecurity among a population of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Manitoba. Our study reveals that 35.3% of survey respondents face food insecurity. 23.5% of these students experience moderate food insecurity, while 11.8% are severely food insecurity. Using chi-square tests and regression analysis, we compare these rates with various demographic indicators to assess which students are at greater risk of food insecurity, factors contributing to food insecurity, and its effect on their student experience, their health and their lives in general. In contemplating funding for post-secondary institutions and increases in tuition fees, provincial governments need to consider how this will affect student food security

scholarly journals Awareness, Policy, Privacy, and More: Post-Secondary Students Voice Their Solutions to Cyberbullying

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 795-815
Author(s):  
Chantal Faucher ◽  
Wanda Cassidy ◽  
Margaret Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Online Student ◽  
University Culture ◽  
Canadian Universities ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Post Secondary Students

This paper discusses solutions to cyberbullying posed by post-secondary students from four Canadian universities. The qualitative data used in this analysis were drawn from one open-ended question on an online student survey completed by 1458 undergraduate students, as well as 10 focus group transcripts involving a total of 36 students. Seven key themes emerged: awareness and education; policy; protecting one’s privacy; technology-based solutions; empowering better choices and responses; university culture; and disciplinary measures. The findings show that post-secondary institutions need to make preventing and curtailing cyberbullying more of a priority within their campus communities, including engaging in responsive consultation with key stakeholder groups, such as students, to develop meaningful solutions.

Nutritional Quality and Price Of University Food Bank Hampers

2006 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noreen D. Willows ◽  
Vivian Au
Keyword(s):  
Cost Saving ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Food Group ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Perishable Items ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The University

Purpose: Food insecurity appears to be a growing problem for post-secondary students, but little study has been made of the 51 campus-based food banks that exist. In 2003-04, the University of Alberta Campus Food Bank (CFB) distributed hampers intended to supply four days of food to 630 unique clients, of whom 207 (32.8%) were children. The nutritional adequacy of food hampers and cost saving to students were evaluated in the current study. Methods: Hampers prepared for one adult, and for one adult with one child, were nutritionally evaluated and scored for number of servings according to Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Two types of hampers were evaluated: those containing only non-perishable items, and those containing non-perishable and perishable items. Hamper contents were priced to establish the cost saving to students. Results: The study revealed that a student with one child would receive up to $58.02 worth of food in a hamper that contained perishable items. All hampers met the recommended minimum servings for each food group, but were very low in fat and protein from animal sources. Conclusions: Because students can obtain hampers only twice each month, the CFB is not the solution to food insecurity on campus. Awareness of the issue of post-secondary student food insecurity needs to be raised.

scholarly journals Disease and disaster: Navigating food insecurity in a community affected by crises during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Andrew Pyle ◽  
Michelle Eichinger ◽  
Barry Garst ◽  
Catherine Mobley ◽  
Sarah Griffin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Rural County ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

This exploratory study examines how a community experiencing food insecurity while navigating multiple crises can be a model to inform resources, processes, and systems supporting communities facing similar circumstances. Data for this study were collected from residents of a community in Oconee County, a rural county in the northwest corner of South Carolina experiencing pervasive food insecurity. The community was severely impacted by the onset of COVID-19 and further devastated by a tornado in mid-April. The area of the county that sustained the greatest damage from the tornado was the Utica Mill Hill community, home to the county’s most vulnerable population. This cascading series of events constituted a crisis-within-a-crisis for the community. In this study, we sought to learn more about community members’ experiences and the effects of the crises on com­munity members’ access to food. We conducted in-depth interviews with 14 residents living in the Utica Mill Hill community. The results provided insight into community members’ experiences of the crises and the nature of community-level response and recovery efforts. We learned about participants’ experiences with food insecurity, new food policy developments, and gained unexpected insight into community members’ experiences with mental health challenges related to the crises.

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