Food Insecurity and Risky Sexual Behaviors Among College Students

Food insecurity and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are growing public health problems in the United States. Young people in general, and particularly college students, exhibit high prevalence of food insecurity, STIs, and risky sexual behaviors (RSB). Food insecurity and STIs among college students can have short- and long-term impacts on their academic success and their lives. Several studies have reported an association between food insecurity and some risky sexual behaviors among specific populations including HIV-infected people and homeless people. However, little is known about the relationship between food insecurity and RSB among college students. Given the high prevalence of food insecurity, STIs, and RSB among college students, it is crucial to explore the link between these two public health problems. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between food insecurity and RSB among college students enrolled at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). This was a cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of students enrolled at UNLV for the Fall 2020 semester. A total of 320 students participated in this study and completed the majority of the survey. Descriptive statistics, crude binary logistic regression, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted. A total of 97 (29.4%) of the study participants were food insecure. Food insecure students were 2.89 times more likely to report giving or receiving fellatio without condom use in the past six months (P = 0.03), than food secure students. There was no significant relationship between food insecurity and other RSB including condom use at last sexual intercourse, condom use in the last twelve months, the number of sexual partners, alcohol and drug use, and transactional sex. This study provided (1) an estimate of the prevalence of food insecurity among UNLV students and the demographic characteristics of food insecure UNLV students, (2) an estimate of the prevalence of RSB among UNLV students and the demographic characteristics of students engaging in RSB. Additionally, the results of this study highlight the need for more studies to evaluate the relationship between food security and risky sexual behavior among college students