(PO04-39-22) Association Between Self-Reported Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security and Overall Level of Stress Among Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences-Newark Students

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Presenting Author(s)

Vai Jun Lam, MS, RD, CNSC, CDCES
– Graduate Student, Rutgers School of Health Professions, Los Angeles, California, United States

Co-Author(s)

DC

Deborah Cohen, DCN, RDN
– Rutgers School of Health Professions
RB

Rebecca Brody, PhD, RD, LD, CNSC
– Associate Professor, Rutgers University, School of Health Professions, Newark, New Jersey, United States
RT

Riva Touger-Decker, PhD, RD,CDN, FADA
– Rutgers University, School of Health Professions, Newark, New Jersey, United States
Joachim D. Sackey, MPhil, MS, PhD
– Assistant Professor, Rutgers University, School of Health Professions, newark, New Jersey, United States

Disclosure(s):

Vai Jun Lam, MS, RD, CNSC, CDCES: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Joachim D. Sackey, MPhil, MS, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: The prevalence of food insecurity and high stress rose among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there is limited research on the prevalence among health professions students. This study investigated the association between self-reported impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress and food security among health professions students in a Northeastern university.

Methods: This secondary analysis used data from a cross-sectional web-based survey conducted between January and March 2021. The survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, food security status, and factors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as stress. Food security status over the past 12 months was determined with the Six-Item U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (USDA HFSS-6). Non-parametric statistics were used to analyze the research questions.

Results: Of the 650 participants, 72% were female (n=468); 85% were graduate students (n=555). Twenty-one percent (n=139) were food insecure. Eighty-eight percent of participants (n=570) self-reported that the COVID-19 pandemic increased their level of stress; 14% (n=95) self-reported that the pandemic made them more food insecure. A significantly higher percentage of participants (95%) who were food insecure reported increased levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to those who were food secure (86%) (p=0.01), which may have been affected by changes in employment and location of residence. There was no significant association between the self-reported impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security and stress (p=0.18).

Conclusions: 1 in 5 health professions students had food insecurity and those who were food insecure reported higher levels of overall stress than those who were food secure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should use larger samples and evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on FI and stress among health professions and other students.

Funding Sources: Internal