(P02-087-25) Food Security, Health, and Social Impacts of COVID-19 on the Lives of University Students: A Qualitative Approach Using Social Cognitive Theory

Objectives: The onset of COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated issues such as uncertain nutritional security, financial burdens, social and environmental isolation, and physical and mental health problems for university students. Pre-pandemic, 24.8% of college students were already food insecure, and this rate spiked to approximately 30-59% during the pandemic, highlighting their vulnerability.  The objective of this study was to explore the influences of COVID-19 on the lives of college students through conceptualizing personal, environmental, and behavioral factors and their associations based on the Social Cognitive Theory.

Methods: Through a university’s advertisement, over five hundred college students were recruited for a cross-sectional study administered via a Qualtrics survey from April-June 2022. The data collected were demographics, a validated USDA 10-item food security questionnaire, and four open-ended questions about how COVID-19 had affected students’ financial ability, food choices, health, and academic performance. After the data cleaning process, 365 students’ responses were analyzed using inductive and thematic analysis. A conceptual map was generated using codes, subthemes, and themes, in relation to constructs of Social Cognitive Theory.

Results: Seven themes were identified: financial capability, socialization needs and impacted health and wellness (personal); environmental risks and unstable food supply (environmental); and pragmatic food purchases and decreased health maintenance (behavioral). Among 365 participants, 14.1% experienced food insecurity, which was linked to decreased purchasing power due to reduced income. Coping strategies included substituting purchases, opting for cheaper, and less nutritious options. Urgent socialization needs and consequences of an unstable food supply impacted health and wellness, as well as food shopping habits.

Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance for universities to screen for food insecurity and to implement tailored interventions for at-risk students.

Funding Sources: Center for Transformative Undergraduate Experiences, Texas Tech University