Browsing by Subject "food insecurity"
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Item The Experiences of Undergraduate Students with Physical, Learning, Neurodevelopmental, and Cognitive Disabilities During the Pandemic(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020-10) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie; Chirikov, Igor; Jones-White, DanielThe COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities who are enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey administered from May to July 2020 of 30,099 undergraduate students at nine universities. Approximately 6% of respondents (n = 1,788) reported having at least one disability (physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, or cognitive). Students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities were more likely than students without disabilities to experience financial hardships during the pandemic, including unexpected increases in spending for technology, unexpected increases in living expenses, and loss or reduction in income (from family members or personal wages from off-campus employment). Furthermore, students with disabilities were also more likely to experience food and housing insecurity compared to students without disabilities. Students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities were less likely to believe that they feel like they belong on campus and less likely to agree that the campus supported them during the pandemic. Students with those disabilities also experienced higher rates of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder than students without disabilities. Students with disabilities were also less likely to live in safe environments compared to students without disabilities. As institutional leaders continue to adapt to higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage them to consider the impact different instructional modalities may have in perpetuating disparities for students with disabilities.Item Factors Influencing the Food Security of Smallholder Farmers in Madagascar(2018-07) Assefa, BelayABSTRACT Understanding important factors influencing the food security status of smallholder farmers is crucial for designing interventions to enhance the food security situation of food insecure households. This study was conducted to identify major factors influencing farm household food insecurity in Madagascar. The data collected from a total of 1,178 randomly selected households from six regions of Madagascar was used in the analyses. The study found that of 1,178 households, 88.7% were food insecure. The linear probability model regression with robust standard error showed that ten variables were significant: age, informal financial loan, household’s independent farming experience, total assets per adult equivalent, the log of total household income, household size, marriage status of the household (single), shocks due to crops diseases, shocks due to weather conditions, and shocks resulting from household members’ illness. With this information, policymakers can target farmers who have experience in farming and education to reduce food insecurity. Keywords: food security, food insecurity, linear probability modelItem First-Generation Students’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic(Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium, 2020-08) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie; Chirikov, Igor; Jones-White, DanielThe COVID-19 pandemic has negative impacts on first-generation students enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 28,198 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 26% of respondents (n = 7,233) identified as first-generation students (those whose parents have not earned a bachelor’s degree). First-generation students were more likely than continuing-generation students to experience financial hardships during the pandemic, including lost wages from family members, lost wages from on- or off-campus employment, and increased living and technology expenses. Compared to continuing-generation students, first-generation students are nearly twice as likely to be concerned about paying for their education in fall 2020. Furthermore, first-generation students were also less likely to live in safe environments free from abuse (physical, emotional, drug, or alcohol) and more likely to experience food and housing insecurity. First-generation students also experienced higher rates of mental health disorders compared to their peers. The results of our study suggest that first-generation students experienced more challenges adapting to online instruction compared to continuing-generation students, including encountering obstacles related to lack of adequate study spaces and lack of technology necessary to complete online learning. Compared to continuing-generation students, first-generation students were also less likely to be able to meet during scheduled virtual class times. As institutional leaders look forward to the fall 2020 semester, we encourage them to consider the impact different instructional modalities may have in perpetuating existing disparities for first-generation students.Item Key issues to sustaining the American food supply, avoiding a charitable feeding supply crisis, and mitigating local or regional food insecurity(2020-04-17) van de Ligt, Jennifer LG; Hoffman, John TThe “COVID-19 Near-Term Issues Spotting in Food Supply Chain” situational updates are a series of 43 reports prepared from April 17 through August 21, 2020 during the most significant food system disruptions of the pandemic. The updates identified and quantified primary and secondary key food system and supply chain disruptions, identified critical paths and proposed action opportunities for issues resolution, and categorized and evaluated real-time open-source news related to food systems issues. The situational updates were distributed to greater than 150 stakeholders with amplified distribution through the Food and Agriculture Critical Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Council (SCC). The situational updates were leveraged in private sector (30 entities plus distribution through the SCC) and local, state, and federal level emergency response including agencies in at least 12 states and at the federal level including DHS, USDA APHIS, USDA FSIS, FDA, DoD, CDC, CISA, FEMA, CBP, PHS, NICC briefings, NBEOC reports, and at least one White House level briefing.Item Social Class Differences in Students’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, BonnieThe COVID-19 pandemic has created significant hardships for students from low-income, poor, and working-class backgrounds enrolled at large, public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 30,697 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 7% of respondents (n = 2,112) identified as low-income or poor, 16% identified as working-class (n = 4,970), 42% identified as middle-class (n = 12,815), 32% identified as upper-middle or professional-middle class (n = 9,924), and 3% identified as wealthy (n = 876). The results of our study suggest that students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds were significantly more likely than their peers to experience financial hardships, including the loss or reduction of income from other family members, unexpected increases in living experiences and technology, the loss/cancellation of expected jobs or internships, and the loss of wages from off-campus employment. Furthermore, students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds were significantly more likely than their peers to experience food insecurity and housing insecurity. Additionally, students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds had significantly higher rates of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder and academic obstacles during the transition to remote learning, such as lack of access to appropriate study spaces, technology, academic advising, and learning support services. As campuses roll out their programs and services for the fall 2020 semester, we encourage them to consider the unique needs and experiences of students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds and reconfigure their programs to address those students’ financial hardships, food/housing insecurity, mental health disorders, and academic obstacles.Item Undergraduate Student Caregivers’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Financial Hardships, Food and Housing Insecurity, Mental Health, and Academic Obstacles(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.; McAndrew, Molly; Horgos, Bonnie; Chirikov, Igor; Jones-White, DanielThe COVID-19 pandemic has created significant hardships for student caregivers enrolled at large, public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 30,593 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 6% of respondents (n = 1,767) identified as caregivers for children, 11% of respondents (n = 3,236) identified as caregivers for other adults (age 18 and over), and 3% (n = 874) cared for both children and adults during the pandemic. Students who were caregivers for children may have been parents caring for their own children or family members (e.g., siblings). Students who were caregivers for adults may have been caring for their family members (e.g., parents, partners, spouses) or others. The results indicated that the pandemic has heightened caregivers’ financial hardships; specifically, students who were caregivers were more likely to experience the loss or reduction in family members’ income, loss or reduction of wages from off-campus and on-campus employment, and unexpected increases in living expenses or technology expenses compared to their peers who were not caregivers. Students who were caregivers were also more likely to experience food insecurity and housing insecurity compared to their peers who were not caregivers. Additionally, students who were caregivers were also more likely to screen positive for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder than their peers who were not caregivers. Finally, students who were caregivers were also more likely to lack access to an appropriate study environment and were less likely to be able attend scheduled online classes during the transition to remote learning.Item Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Students’ Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020-08) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie; Jones-White, Daniel; Chrikov, IgorOne in five undergraduates (22%) and graduate and professional students (19%) enrolled at large public research universities experienced food insecurity, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 31,687 undergraduate students at nine universities and 16,453 graduate and professional students from ten universities during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the survey suggest that undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds experienced significantly higher rates of food insecurity compared to their peers. Specifically Black, Hispanic and Latinx, American Indian or Alaskan Native, and international students; low-income, poor, or working-class students; students who are caregivers to adults during the pandemic; first-generation students; and students who are transgender, nonbinary, bisexual, pansexual, or queer all experienced significantly higher rates of food insecurity during the pandemic compared to their peers. As colleges and universities prepare for the upcoming fall 2020 semester, we encourage them to provide resources to alleviate students’ food insecurity, offer students greater access to nutritious and affordable food, and expand food security efforts given that the pandemic is likely to disrupt students’ traditional means of accessing food on campus. We encourage institutional leaders to provide targeted outreach efforts to the students who are most likely to experience food insecurity and consider novel ways of providing students with access to free or discounted meals, even if institutions are offering primarily online classes.