Vulnerability to food insecurity among students: a quantitative study at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
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Date
2022
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Abstract
The prevalence of food insecurity are reported to be high in South Africa and globally Research on food insecurity within the university student community is gaining momentum as food insecurity has been recognised as a growing issue facing students. Institutions of higher learning are a platform to improve students’ lives, and in South Africa, access to higher education has been made possible for students from poor socio-economic backgrounds through the National Financial Student Aid Scheme (NSFAS). In addition to several other challenges they face, students from poor socio-economic backgrounds (e.g., those receiving NSFAS funding) also experience food insecurity as a challenge in their university studies. This study aimed to provide an updated and current exploration of food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The study used a non-experimental survey research design to generate quantitative data. A non-probability quota and convenience sampling method was used to collect data across all five university campuses from 438 students by administering the University Students Food Insecurity Questionnaire (USFIQ). This questionnaire consists of questions exploring anxiety or uncertainty about food supply, insufficient food quality, insufficient food intake, and physical consequences of food insecurity. A vulnerability to food insecurity scale is embedded in the questionnaire and provides an average vulnerability to food insecurity score for respondents.
The results from the study suggest that the problem of food insecurity is highly prevalent among the sample of UKZN students, with 48.6% reporting often or almost always experiencing food security-related difficulties. More specifically, 36.2% of the sample reported experiencing a serious level of food insecurity, and 12.4% reported experiencing a severe level of food insecurity. The findings from the study also suggested that the dominant factors (from those listed on the questionnaire) contributing to students’ vulnerability to food insecurity are other competing study-related expenses such as stationery, books, and photocopying. Other dominant factors (among those listed on the questionnaire) that influence the experience of food insecurity among the students included finishing their meal allowances before the next one was forthcoming or the family being unable to provide enough money to the student to buy food. The questionnaire also asked study participants to identify their strategies to access food. This component of the study suggests that most students rely on asking family members for money or food. The findings from the study also indicate a significant difference in vulnerability to food insecurity when comparing students receiving financial aid with those who are not. No significant differences were found between vulnerability to food insecurity in terms of students’ residence, campus, or level of hunger at the end or beginning of a semester.
The findings from this study point to the need for ongoing intervention at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (and within the Department of Higher Education and Training generally) to manage the problem of food insecurity among university students. There is a need for further research to explore the effects of food insecurity among students.
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Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.