Food Insecurity and Health-Related Concerns Among Elementary Schoolteachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: US school systems underwent major upheaval, including closures, implementation of virtual and/or hybrid learning, and stringent infection mitigation protocols, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to examine the association between food insecurity and perceived health, perceived stress, and social determinants of health concerns among elementary schoolteachers serving predominantly low-income children during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that weekly distributes fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrition education materials to more than 300 schools serving racial and ethnic minority populations with low income, conducts annual surveys of participating teachers to help determine subsequent efforts to support schools and families during the school year. We analyzed self-reported data collected electronically by the Brighter Bites teachers survey in 76 elementary schools during summer 2020. We used generalized linear mixed models to measure the association between food insecurity and health-related concerns. RESULTS: Of 862 teachers who responded to the survey, 685 answered the 2 questions about food insecurity status; of these, 199 (29.1%) reported experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity was positively associated with poor perceived general health, greater perceived stress, concerns about various social determinants of health, and changes in fruit and vegetable consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated the high prevalence of food insecurity and highlights its associated factors among elementary schoolteachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It calls attention to the high correlation of various concerns among elementary schoolteachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further intervention and policy efforts are needed to relieve food insecurity-related concerns and enhance well-being among teachers.

A Cross-Sectional Study Analyzing Predictors of Perceived Stress Among Elementary School Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Teaching is a stressful occupation due to high-stake job demands and limited resources, which were exacerbated during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study assessed the prevalence of perceived stress and explored its predictors among elementary school teachers employed at schools serving predominantly low-income populations in five cities in the United States. METHOD: Our study analyzed the data among selected schools that were collected through the Brighter Bites teacher survey which comprised items measuring sociodemographic characteristics, perceived stress, perceived general health, food insecurity, and concerns regarding social determinants of health needs. The predictors of perceived stress were examined using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) with schools as the random variable. FINDINGS: A total of 685 teachers were included in the analysis (84.9% female, 38.1% Hispanic, 57.6% <5 years of teaching experience). Most (85.4%) of the teachers stated they were stressed "sometimes"/"often." Results from adjusted GLMM showed that teachers who were food insecure (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.33, confidence interval [CI]: [1.63, 3.35]), those who had concerns regarding financial stability (2.68 [1.91, 3.75]), food availability (1.69 [1.15, 2.48]), food affordability (2.27 [1.57, 3.28]), availability/affordability of housing (2.21 [1.33, 3.67]), access to childcare (1.76 [1.06, 2.92]), and access to a clinic/doctor (1.60 [1.10, 2.33]) were at significantly greater odds of reporting perceived stress. CONCLUSION/APPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Our study demonstrates the heightened impact of COVID-19 on the mental well-being of teachers across a wide range of social needs. Stress management and additional social service programs are suggested to support teachers to mitigate pandemic impact.