Coping with Hunger: A Qualitative Study on Food Insecure Students’ Academic, Social, and Food-Related Experiences 公开
Haque, Naziyya (Spring 2019)
Published
Abstract
Background: Food insecurity (FI) is an emerging, important issue that disproportionately affects college and graduate students. In order to develop programs that effectively address FI in this population, we need to better understand FI from the student perspective. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the academic, social, and food-related experiences of FI students, including their knowledge of food-acquisition related resources like food pantries and coping strategies.
Methods: This study utilized the inquiry framework of phenomenology. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with a sample of 16 students, 8 undergraduate and 8 graduate, attending a private university in Georgia. Participants were recruited via university listservs and private social media groups. Prior to each interview, participants verbally confirmed FI status through a screening question derived from the university’s National College Health Assessment (NCHA). All interviews were transcribed verbatim and descriptively and analytically coded. Inter-coder agreement was reached prior to determining findings. Transcripts were thematically analyzed with the use of matrices to identify patterns.
Results: Themes focused on perceptions of FI, prior experiences with FI, resource acquisition, and problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, These themes included 1) de-identification with food insecurity, 2) distraction as a coping strategy, 3) seeking social support, 4) institutional indifference, 5) gaps in students’ knowledge, and 6) advocacy through accessibility. Students discussed the label of FI connoting shame and stigma, even if they did not personally experience or feel those emotions.
Conclusions: FI affects more students than they are willing to admit, and food acquisition-related resources on campus may not be able to reach them. Understanding experiences of FI students will be useful in addressing structural challenges to educational attainment, stemming from students’ social differences. While food pantries assist in reducing FI, students’ ideal solutions would involve large-scale efforts, including but not limited to wider dining options and campus-wide conversations to reduce stigma and promote awareness of the issue. Results from this study will inform future food pantry practices and efforts, as well as other strategies for addressing FI in this population.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction and Statement of the Problem and Purpose.......................................................................... 2
Problem Statement .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Theoretical Framework....................................................................................................................................... 4
Purpose Statement ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Research Objectives: ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Significance Statement ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Definition of Terms Used .................................................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 2: Literature Review ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Definition and Prevalence of Food Insecurity ................................................................................................... 8
Establishing Prevalence among Working-Age Adults ................................................................................... 11
Establishing Prevalence among Postsecondary Students............................................................................... 12
Utilization of Food Pantries in the United States............................................................................................ 14
Coping Strategies related to FI......................................................................................................................... 17
Outcomes Associated with Food Insecurity..................................................................................................... 18
Theoretical Frameworks Used in Food Insecurity Research......................................................................... 23
Chapter 3: Methodology............................................................................................................................................ 26
Participants......................................................................................................................................................... 26
Recruitment and Procedures ............................................................................................................................ 26
Measures ............................................................................................................................................................. 27
Ethical Considerations and Consent Procedures............................................................................................ 31
Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 4: Results..................................................................................................................................................... 35
Perceptions of Food Insecurity ......................................................................................................................... 36
Prior experiences with Food Insecurity ........................................................................................................... 41
Individualized coping strategies ....................................................................................................................... 42
Varied Knowledge.............................................................................................................................................. 47
Advocacy and improving accessibility ............................................................................................................. 52
Chapter 5: Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations ................................................................................. 56
Strengths and Limitations ................................................................................................................................. 62 Reflections........................................................................................................................................................... 64
References................................................................................................................................................................. 66 Appendix................................................................................................................................................................... 72
Codebook ............................................................................................................................................................ 72
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