American journal of public health
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Over the last decade, multiple studies of food insecurity among college students have found rates from 20% to more than 50%, considerably higher than the 12% rate for the entire US population. Reasons for higher rates of food insecurity among college students include a growing population of low-income college students, high college costs and insufficient financial aid, more financial hardship among many low- and moderate-income families, a weak labor market for part-time workers, declining per capita college resources, and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) policies that specifically exclude many college students from participation. This essay reviews the causes and consequences of food insecurity on campus, explores reasons for the low SNAP participation rate, and describes how campuses have responded to food insecurity. It summarizes federal, state, and local changes in SNAP policies that can facilitate college student participation and retention and suggests strategies for more robust and effective university responses to food insecurity, including SNAP enrollment campaigns, a stronger role for campus food services, and a redefinition of the goals and purposes of campus food pantries.
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Objectives. To examine rural-suburban-urban disparities in intendedness and resolution of first pregnancies among adolescent and young women (aged 15-19 and 20-24 years) across racial/ethnic backgrounds in the United States. Methods. ⋯ Conclusions. Rural-urban differences in the share of first adolescent pregnancies ending in live births are not accounted for by pregnancy intention or confounding individual-level characteristics. Future research should explore the role of structural barriers, including access to family planning and abortion services.
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We present views of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from the perspective of participants. We are SNAP participants and academic researchers who have worked together for 11 years to understand, explain, and address food insecurity. ⋯ Although we offer recommendations to improve SNAP, the goal of most SNAP recipients has always been to move beyond the need for this program. The public health community can take the lead in finding more egalitarian, dignified, and effective ways to address poverty and food insecurity.