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In the framework of the uncontrollable mortality risk hypothesis, resource scarcity intersects with mortality risk, shaping resource allocation strategies with enduring impacts on human health and wellbeing. Despite rising economic and food insecurity among US college students, little is known about how these insecurities relate to mortality risk, or how scarcity and mortality risk interact to shape college students' resource allocation strategies. We examine perceptions of resource scarcity and mortality risk and their associations with food insecurity and resource allocation strategies among economically insecure college students during COVID‐19 lockdowns. Participants were recruited through an economic crisis response center at a major public university in the United States. A total of 118 participants completed an online Qualtrics survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, perceptions of mortality risk and resource availability, food security, economic effort, and time perspective; a subset (n = 51) also participated in a telephone interview assessing psychological distress. In general, participants reported more environmental adversity and economic effort during COVID‐19 lockdowns compared to before. Students experiencing higher levels of uncontrollable (and not controllable) mortality risk report lower levels of economic effort, and the association was strongest among students perceiving the fewest resources. We also found significant associations between uncontrollable mortality risk and food insecurity. Our results highlight uncontrollable mortality risk's influence on human well‐being. Public health efforts should target the experiences and root structural causes of uncontrollable mortality risk, which among economically insecure college students increasingly involves food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Research overwhelmingly demonstrates that sleep is key to human health and wellbeing. Several factors likely contribute to sleep quality, including factors, such as food security and low income. In addition, exposure to structural inequalities early in life likely have downstream effects upon multiple dimensions of health. The objective of this study is to fill gaps in literature by specifically examining the associations between childhood food insecurity, current food insecurity, psychological distress, and sleep among college students. Methods: QR codes were randomly distributed to students, linking them to an online quantitative survey. The survey measured sociodemographic variables, food security (current and childhood), diet, mental distress, and sleep quality. A total of n = 134 completed the entire survey. Data were analyzed using binary and multiple linear regressions, as well as cross‐tabulations. Results: The findings revealed that psychological distress was the primary factor influencing sleep health (훽 = 1.51, p <.01). Students reporting higher childhood food insecurity were more likely to experience extreme psychological distress (OR = 4.61), food insecurity in college (OR = 8.41), and lack of stable housing (OR = 5.86). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that potential linkages exist between childhood food insecurity, poor sleep, and greater psychological distress. While acknowledging the contribution of other factors, the study highlights the importance of addressing food insecurity in relation to sleep health, considering the significant impact of sleep to overall health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Little is known about cannabis use in hunter-gatherers. Therefore, we investigated cannabis use in the Aka, a population of foragers of the Congo Basin. Because cannabis contains anthelminthic compounds, and the Aka have a high prevalence of helminthiasis, we also tested the hypothesis that cannabis use might be an unconscious form of self-medication against helminths. Methods We collected self- and peer-reports of cannabis use from all adult Aka in the Lobaye district of the Central African Republic ( n = 379). Because female cannabis use was low, we restricted sample collection to men. Using an immunoassay for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-11-oic acid (THCA), a urinary biomarker of recent cannabis consumption, we validated cannabis use in men currently residing in camps near a logging road ( n = 62). We also collected stool samples to assay worm burden. A longitudinal reinfection study was conducted among a subsample of the male participants ( n = 23) who had been treated with a commercial anthelmintic 1 year ago. Results The prevalence of self- and peer-reported cannabis use was 70.9% among men and 6.1% among women, for a total prevalence of 38.6%. Using a 50 ng/ml threshold for THCA, 67.7% of men used cannabis. Cannabis users were significantly younger and had less material wealth than the non-cannabis users. There were significant negative associations between THCA levels and worm burden, and reinfection with helminths 1 year after treatment with a commercial anthelmintic. Conclusions The prevalence of cannabis use among adult Aka men was high when compared to most global populations. THCA levels were negatively correlated with parasite infection and reinfection, supporting the self-medication hypothesis. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:5-15, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective: To examine the impact of the pandemic on a sample of college students, and test associations with food security and mental distress. Participants: A convenience sample of 132 students from a diverse U.S. institution. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that utilized online surveys. Data was analyzed using X2, binary and ordinal logistic regression. Results: 63.6% of the participants experienced employment disruption; 43.2% reported food-related hardships; and 59.9% reported reduced resource availability. Food insecure students were 4.53 times more likely to experience employment disruption (p < 0.01); those with childhood food insecurity were 8.02 times more likely to report food-related hardships (p < 0.01). Individuals reporting financial disruptions to diet were 4.32 times more likely to report resource hardships (p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the pandemic impacted multiple aspects of life. Experiences of food insecurity greatly increased the odds of pandemic-related hardships, while those reporting more hardships experienced greater psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]