Abstract
To examine the effect of food insecurity during college on graduation and degree attainment. Secondary analysis of longitudinal panel data. We measured food insecurity concurrent with college enrolment using the 18-question United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module. Educational attainment was measured in 2015-2017 via two questions about college completion and highest degree attained. Logistic and multinomial logit models adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics were estimated. USA. A nationally representative, balanced panel of 1574 college students in the USA in 1999-2003 with follow-up through 2015-2017 from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. In 1999-2003, 14·5 % of college students were food-insecure and were more likely to be older, non-White and first-generation students. In adjusted models, food insecurity was associated with lower odds of college graduation (OR 0·57, 95 % CI: 0·37, 0·88, P = 0·01) and lower likelihood of obtaining a bachelor's degree (relative risk ratio (RRR) 0·57 95 % CI: 0·35, 0·92, P = 0·02) or graduate/professional degree (RRR 0·39, 95 % CI: 0·17, 0·86, P = 0·022). These associations were more pronounced among first-generation students. And 47·2 % of first-generation students who experienced food insecurity graduated from college; food-insecure first-generation students were less likely to graduate compared to first-generation students who were food-secure (47·2 % v. 59·3 %, P = 0·020) and non-first-generation students who were food-insecure (47·2 % v. 65·2 %, P = 0·037). Food insecurity during college is a barrier to graduation and higher-degree attainment, particularly for first-generation students. Existing policies and programmes that help mitigate food insecurity should be expanded and more accessible to the college student population.
Highlights
Individuals who experienced food insecurity in college were more likely to be of older age (P < 0·001), non-White (P < 0·001) and a first-generation college student (P < 0·001), compared to adults who were food-secure in college
College food insecurity was inversely associated with college degree completion and educational attainment
First-generation students were less likely to graduate from college and less likely to obtain a bachelor’s degree (RRR 0·43, 95 % CI: 0·29, 0·62, P < 0·001) or graduate/professional degree (RRR 0·21, 95 % CI: 0·13, 0·35, P < 0·001)
Summary
Data were obtained from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID)(27). The PSID is the world’s longest running nationally representative household panel survey. Since data collection began in 1968, the PSID has followed the original 5000 family sample as well as their descendants[28]. Families have been added to the PSID over time to reflect changes in the composition of the national population. Data collection on socio-demographic, economic and health characteristics were collected annually from 1968 to 1997 and biennially thereafter. In the 1999 wave of data collection, the PSID measured food insecurity status for the first time using the US Department of Agriculture 18-question Household Food Security Survey
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