Food Insecurity and Education in Ethiopian Adolescents
Author Information
Author(s): Belachew Tefera, Hadley Craig, Lindstrom David, Gebremariam Abebe, Lachat Carl, Kolsteren Patrick
Primary Institution: Jimma University
Hypothesis
Food insecure adolescents would be more likely to be absent from school and have lower grades attained after 1 year compared to their food secure peers.
Conclusion
Adolescent and household food insecurity are positively associated with school absenteeism and lower educational attainment.
Supporting Evidence
- 33.0% of food insecure adolescents were absent from school compared to 17.8% of food secure peers.
- Food insecure adolescents had a lower mean grade completed (5.5) compared to food secure adolescents (6.0).
- Adolescents who aspired to higher grades were less likely to be absent from school.
Takeaway
If kids don't have enough food, they might miss school and not do as well in their studies.
Methodology
Data from 2009 adolescents aged 13-17 years were collected through structured questionnaires in a longitudinal study, using regression analyses to compare school absenteeism and educational attainment.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of food insecurity status and reliance on self-reported data.
Limitations
The study may not reflect food insecurity throughout the entire year and relied on self-reported measures which could introduce misclassification.
Participant Demographics
Adolescents aged 13-17 years from urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in Southwest Ethiopia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
OR 1.77 (1.34-2.33)
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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