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Psychological Distress Among College Students: Role of Food Insecurity and other Social Determinants of Mental Health
This 2020 study investigated the effect of food insecurity on mental health outcomes among 302 college students (aged 18 years and above). Becerra & Becerra understand the importance of studying this relationship, and of identifying differences in associations by gender. Compared to food-secure participants, those with food insecurity were significantly more likely to have reported psychological distress and an average-very poor self-perceived mental health status. These observations were true among both gender groups, although women had higher odds of psychological distress and of reporting average-very poor mental health status (compared with men). Furthermore, any alcohol use in the previous 12 months combined with a low self-perceived physical health status were linked with an average to very poor self-perceived mental health status among women. In men, low perceived physical health status was associated with higher incidence of psychological distress. These findings underline the need to consider food insecurity as a social determinant of mental health. [NPID: low-income, food insecurity, college, psychological distress, alcohol, mental health]
Year: 2020
