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This study documents the resources U.S. colleges and universities offer to address student food and housing insecurity and explores differences across community colleges, four-year public schools, and four-year private schools. Using a stratified random sample (n = 448) of U.S. postsecondary institutions, a systematic web search for evidence of 18 resources was conducted. A framework for classifying resources was developed. Logistic regression was used to explore differences by institution type. Eighty-eight percent of the schools in the sample offered at least one resource. On average, schools offered four resources. Food pantries were the most frequently offered resource, while providing information about low-cost campus dining options was the least frequently offered. Four-year private schools offered fewer resources than four-year public schools and community colleges.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated risk factors for food insecurity among older adults, while also altering how government agencies and social service organizations could serve this population given their disproportionate vulnerability to the virus. The current study sought to understand social service providers' perspectives about how low-income community-dwelling older adults' access to food and related resources changed during the COVID pandemic. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 22 social service providers from Oregon-based public and private social service agencies. Responses indicated that changes to older adults' food access during the pandemic stemmed from increases in public benefit amounts and social distancing guidelines. Participants indicated that temporary increases in SNAP allotments supported older adults' food security. Additionally, social distancing guidelines disrupted usual ways of procuring food, such as going to grocery stores, obtaining food with the assistance of family or neighbors, receiving deliveries from social programs, and visiting congregate meal sites. Food assistance programs changed their operations to reduce in-person interaction and increase the use of technology. When investigating older adults' food access, future research should consider adults' experiences of and barriers to SNAP receipt, social support from social networks and safety net programs, and technology access and knowledge. Key Points: Social service providers offer a unique perspective on older adults' food access. Interviews with providers documented older adult food access during COVID. Expanded federal assistance and social distancing shaped seniors' food access. Food access may vary by program eligibility, social support, and technology access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundText-based programs have been shown to effectively address a wide variety of health issues. Although little research examines short message service (SMS) text messaging program characteristics that predict participant retention and attrition, features of SMS text message programs, such as program duration and intensity, message content, and the participants’ context, may have an impact. The impact of stop messages—messages with instructions for how to drop out of an SMS text message program—may be particularly important to investigate. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe attrition from Text2BHealthy, a text-based nutrition and physical activity promotion program for parents of low-income elementary school children, and to determine the impact of message content and number of stop messages received on attrition. MethodsUsing data from 972 parents enrolled in Text2BHealthy, we created Kaplan-Meier curves to estimate differences in program duration for different SMS text message types, including nutrition, physical activity, stop, and other messages. Covariates, including rurality and number of stop messages received, were included. ResultsRetention rates by school ranged from 74% (60/81) to 95.0% (132/139), with an average retention rate of 85.7% (833/972) across all schools. Program duration ranged from 7 to 282 days, with a median program duration of 233 days and an average program duration of 211.7 days. Among those who dropped out, program duration ranged from 7 to 247 days, with a median program duration of 102.5 days. Receiving a stop message increased the probability of attrition compared with receiving messages about nutrition, physical activity, or other topics (hazard ratio=51.5, 95% CI 32.46-81.7; P

Because children spend significant time in school settings, school-based programs have great potential to prevent childhood obesity. Nutrition education and physical activity programs may be more effective, however, when they engage parents to reinforce key messages and behaviors outside of school settings. The Maryland Food Supplement Nutrition Education program (FSNE) partnered with 23 Title I elementary schools in Maryland to develop and administer Text2BHealthy, an innovative text message program that engages parents in their children’s school-based nutrition education. Text2BHealthy sends 2 behaviorally focused text messages to enrolled parents each week. These messages provide actionable nudges that encourage improved nutrition and physical activity and reference upcoming free or low-cost opportunities and events in the child’s school and the surrounding community. Preliminary evaluation results suggest that Text2BHealthy resulted in improvements on a number of fruit and vegetable practices of parents and their children. Additional evaluation research is needed to demonstrate efficacy of text message programs and program components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]