Perceived self- and social stigma among campus-based food pantry users.

Abstract<bold>Participants:</bold> A critical public health issue facing many universities is food insecurity. Food insecurity has been associated with many academic, physical, and mental health issues. Although the number of campus-based food pantries has grown exponentially, self-, and social stigma have been associated with low rates of utilization. <bold>Methods:</bold> The current quantitative study examined perceptions of food pantry stigma among food insecure college students (<italic>n</italic> = 93) who have accessed food pantry services. <bold>Results:</bold> Results reveal moderate levels of food pantry stigma with no statistically significant differences in food pantry stigma scores by level of food security (<italic>p</italic> = .322) and frequency of food pantry use (<italic>p</italic> = .263). Few participants indicated perceptions of social stigma, yet mixed results were observed regarding self-stigma. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> More research is warranted aimed at gaining a better understanding of food pantry stigma among college students that can inform campus-based interventions, practices, and policies aimed at increasing the utilization of campus-based food pantry resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]