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

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. The current quantitative study examined perceptions of food pantry stigma among food insecure college students ( = 93) who have accessed food pantry services. Results reveal moderate levels of food pantry stigma with no statistically significant differences in food pantry stigma scores by level of food security ( = .322) and frequency of food pantry use ( = .263). Few participants indicated perceptions of social stigma, yet mixed results were observed regarding self-stigma. 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.