Trade-Offs Faced by 2-and 4-Year College Students Experiencing Food Insecurity: An Analysis of Qualitative Data

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Higher Education Studies

Background:

• Economic constraints significantly impact college students' ability to meet basic needs.
• Food insecurity (FI) is a growing concern among higher education students.
• FI can lead to difficult decisions and trade-offs affecting overall student welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the trade-offs made by food insecure college students.
• To understand the impact of these trade-offs on students' health, well-being, and academic achievement.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 8 semi-structured focus groups with 53 students screening positive for food insecurity.
• Utilized thematic analysis across four phases to identify patterns in qualitative data.
• Data collected from seven 2- and 4-year Minnesota colleges.

Main Results:

• Identified five key trade-off themes: sacrificing food, relationships, and academic studies; choosing between basic needs; and challenges in maintaining well-being.
• Student-described trade-offs were multifaceted, causing significant stress and worry.
• These compromises presented substantial challenges to students' physical and mental well-being.

Conclusions:

• Food insecure students navigate complex trade-offs with significant consequences.
• Understanding these sacrifices is crucial for developing targeted support systems.
• Interventions can improve student health and academic performance by addressing these identified trade-offs.