Higher Education Food Insecurity Toolkit Development and Feedback

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2020 Jan;52(1):64-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2019.09.021. Epub 2019 Nov 6.

Abstract

Objective: Develop and gain feedback on a food insecurity toolkit for higher education institutions to provide food insecurity programming on campus that will promote a food-secure campus environment.

Methods: A search of the literature was completed by 2 researchers to develop the toolkit. The toolkit was assessed using an online 27 item open- and close-ended survey. One hundred twenty-six stakeholders from 106 land grant institutions were contacted to provide perceptions of the developed toolkit, including usefulness, barriers to application, and recommendations for improvement.

Results: Thirty stakeholders from 27 institutions responded. Thematic analysis of feedback covered 4 main topics: layout, overall content, initiatives, and application. Eight themes emerged: visual appeal, organization, value, provoking, comprehensive, barriers, collaboration, and efficiency. Corrections and recommendations were provided for each topic.

Conclusions and implications: The themes derived encompassed the objective of the toolkit. This toolkit serves as a resource that can be utilized by student leaders, clubs or organizations, campus stakeholders, or administrators to begin a food security initiative on campus.

Keywords: campus; college students; food insecurity; initiatives; toolkit.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Food Insecurity*
  • Food Supply
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mobile Applications
  • Software*
  • Students*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Universities
  • West Virginia