ABSTRACT
Food insecurity on college campuses is a major public health problem and has been documented for the last decade. Sufficient food access is a crucial social determinant of health, thus campuses across the country have implemented various programmes, systems and policies to enhance access to food which have included food pantries, campus gardens, farmers' markets, meal share or voucher programmes, mobile food applications, campus food gleaning, food recovery efforts, meal deliveries and task force/working groups. However, little is understood about how to best address food insecurity and support students who are struggling with basic needs. The impact of food insecurity on students' academic and social success, in addition to their overall well-being, should be investigated and prioritised at each higher education institution. This is especially true for marginalised students, such as minority or first-generation students, who are at heightened risk for food insecurity. In order to create a culture of health equity, in which most at-risk students are provided resources and opportunities to achieve optimal well-being, higher education institutions must prioritise mitigating food insecurity on the college campus. Higher education institutions could benefit from adopting comprehensive and individualised approaches to promoting food security for marginalised students in order to facilitate equal opportunity for optimal scholastic achievement among students of all socio-demographic backgrounds.
ABSTRACT
College food insecurity is a known detriment to student success, but little is known about the implementation of campus-based programmes to help address this issue on campus in the United States. The objective of this research study was to determine the types of food insecurity initiatives implemented and assess how such programmes are managed, funded, and evaluated. A cross-sectional, 23-item online survey was administered among individuals involved with campus food insecurity initiatives identified through professional networks. Food pantries were the most common (97.1%) and mobile food sharing applications were the least common (14.7%) food security initiatives. A majority of respondents (69.7%) stated that at least one programme on their campus was evaluated, although the methods varied and uncertainty about the methods used was common. An allocated budget was provided at some institutions (38.9%), but funding mechanisms varied. Student Life Offices were most commonly reported as being responsible for programme management. Most respondents (75.3%) reported there had been programme changes due to COVID-19. This research confirmed that food insecurity programmes are widely available, although the type, funding, and leadership of these programmes vary. A coordinated approach on campus to align programming efforts is needed.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Food Supply , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Food Insecurity , Humans , Leadership , Socioeconomic Factors , United States/epidemiologySubject(s)
Diet/standards , Guidelines as Topic , Nutrition Policy , Choice Behavior , Health Behavior , Health Status , Humans , United StatesSubject(s)
Complementary Therapies , Heart Diseases/prevention & control , Chronic Disease , Complementary Therapies/adverse effects , Complementary Therapies/methods , Complementary Therapies/standards , Diet Fads , Evidence-Based Medicine , Humans , Medicine, Traditional , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Patient Education as TopicSubject(s)
Dietary Fats/therapeutic use , Heart Diseases/diet therapy , Hypercholesterolemia/diet therapy , Nutritional Sciences/education , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Carya , Commiphora , Dietary Fats/adverse effects , Dietary Fiber/therapeutic use , Fatty Acids, Essential/therapeutic use , Fatty Acids, Omega-3/therapeutic use , Heart Diseases/etiology , Heart Diseases/prevention & control , Humans , Hypercholesterolemia/etiology , Hypercholesterolemia/prevention & control , Hypolipidemic Agents/therapeutic use , Linoleic Acids , Linseed Oil/therapeutic use , Oenothera biennis , Patient Education as Topic , Phytotherapy/methods , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Plant Gums , Plant Oils , Soybean Proteins/therapeutic use , Triglycerides/therapeutic use , gamma-Linolenic AcidABSTRACT
Assessing nutrition is an integral part of the comprehensive assessment for each patient. Although OASIS does not have a specific section or identified items labeled for nutrition, there are numerous nuances of nutritional status imbedded in the OASIS-B1. This article will identify the many OASIS items that contribute to the nutritional assessment and point out when OASIS responses should trigger a referral to a registered dietitian.
Subject(s)
Home Care Services/organization & administration , Information Services , International Classification of Diseases , Diagnosis-Related Groups , Humans , Nutrition Assessment , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
This column investigates the harm/benefit issues involved in coupling alternative methods of cancer treatment with traditional cancer therapy.