Utilizing an Intersectional Approach to Examine Experiences of Hunger Among Adolescents During COVID-19: Considering Race/Ethnicity, Sexual Identity, and Employment Disparities in a Nationally Representative Sample

Kathryn M Janda-Thomte; Dale S Mantey; Catherine Bigbie; Andrew Springer

doi:10.1007/s40615-024-02019-8

Utilizing an Intersectional Approach to Examine Experiences of Hunger Among Adolescents During COVID-19: Considering Race/Ethnicity, Sexual Identity, and Employment Disparities in a Nationally Representative Sample

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 May 15. doi: 10.1007/s40615-024-02019-8. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Kathryn M Janda-Thomte¹, Dale S Mantey^{2

3}, Catherine Bigbie⁴, Andrew Springer^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97343, Waco, TX, 76798, USA. Kathryn_Janda@baylor.edu.
² University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health in Austin, 1616 Guadalupe Street, Suite 6.300, Austin, TX, 78701, USA.
³ Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, 1616 Guadalupe Street, Suite 6.300, Austin, TX, 78701, USA.
⁴ Department of Public Health, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97343, Waco, TX, 76798, USA.

PMID: 38748362
DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-02019-8

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines correlates of experiences of hunger among adolescents in the United States (U.S) by the intersectionality of race/ethnicity with sociodemographic characteristics (gender, sexual identity, and adolescent/parent job loss) with the aim of identifying subgroups most at risk for hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This cross-sectional study uses nationally representative data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) collected from January to June 2021. The analytic sample was high school students aged 14-17 with complete data (n = 6023). Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine associations between sociodemographic factors and hunger (1-item measure) among adolescents during the pandemic for the analytic sample and stratified by race/ethnicity.

Results: The prevalence of hunger was 24.1% for the analytic sample and was highest among American Indian/Alaskan Native/Other Pacific Islander youth (37.2%), followed by non-Hispanic Black (31.8%) and Hispanic (28.4%) youth, and lowest among Non-Hispanic White youth (18.6%). In the analytic sample, there were significant differences in experiences of hunger by race/ethnicity, sexual identity, and adolescent/parent job loss during the pandemic (p < 0.05). When stratified by race/ethnicity, there were differential associations of hunger with sexual identity, and adolescent/parent job loss.

Conclusions: These findings provide evidence of differential experiences of hunger during the pandemic among adolescents by sociodemographic factors. Results highlight the need for taking an intersectional approach when examining issues such as hunger. Future policies and programs should be mindful of factors associated with hunger and should prioritize using an equity-informed approach when engaging with multiply-marginalized adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescent hunger; COVID-19; Disparities; Multiply-marginalized identities; Racial/ethnic differences.

Grants and funding

T32/CA057712/National Cancer Institute (US)