Undergraduate nursing and medical students' perceptions of food security and access to healthy food in Qatar: a photovoice study
Author | Al-Hamad, Areej |
Author | MacNevin, Shannan |
Author | Daher-Nashif, Suhad |
Available date | 2023-08-28T09:09:49Z |
Publication Date | 2022 |
Publication Name | Journal of Nutritional Science |
Resource | Scopus |
ISSN | 20486790 |
Abstract | The present study explored nursing and medical students' perceptions of food security, their access to healthy food and the circumstances that affect their access to healthy food in Qatar. The photovoice method was adopted in the present study. Students submitted their photos pertaining to food security and their access to healthy food in Qatar. Afterwards, the students completed an online synchronous semi-structured interview. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. After the data analysis, a focus group discussion was conducted for member checking. The present study is a collaborative project between two universities in Qatar: The University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) and Qatar University (QU). Undergraduate students (seven nursing students and nine medical students) were recruited, asked to collect photos and interviewed. Four themes emerged from the data. First, food retail environments promoted unhealthy eating. Second, fast food under stressful circumstances: a sense of comfort. Third, food as a symbol of culture and socialisation. Finally, the paradox of access to affordable and healthy food in Qatar. Undergraduate students highlighted various circumstances that affect their perceptions of food security and their access to healthy food in Qatar. Future research that aims at understanding the facilitators and barriers to access healthy food at the university campus may help to improve nutrition interventions targeting those students. Future initiatives should focus on leveraging various resources to assist universities in tailoring their food initiatives to suit their students' local needs. The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society. |
Sponsor | The funding for the study was supported by the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) (UREP27-025-3-009). The funder had no role in the design, analysis or writing of this article. |
Language | en |
Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
Subject | Food security Healthy food Photovoice Undergraduate students |
Type | Article |
Volume Number | 11 |
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