E.E. UKO–AVIOMOH

INFLUENCE OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN ON FOOD PURCHASE, CONSUMPTION AND HUNGER AMONG MARRIED SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

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Abstract
This study investigated the influence of COVID-19 lockdown on food purchase, consumption and hunger among married secondary school teachers in Delta State, Nigeria. Nine (9) research questions were raised and answered. Six (6) hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of Significance.

The study employed a descriptive survey research design which targeted twenty-two thousand one hundred and twenty one (22,121) married secondary school teachers in the twenty-five (25) Local Government Areas of Delta State. The sample size of the study consisted of eight hundred (800) respondents. Multi-stage sampling technique was used for the study. The instrument used to elicit responses from the subjects was a 70 item statement questionnaire. The instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisors and a psychometrician. The reliability was determined using twenty (20) married secondary school teachers randomly selected from the 25 Local Government Areas of Delta State who are part of the population but not part of the sample size and the data generated were analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha statistics and yielded the coefficient of 0.85. Data analysis was done using mean (x), Standard Deviation (SD), two independent sample t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC).
The findings revealed that COVID-19 lockdown influenced food purchasing habits, consumption pattern and hunger among married secondary school teachers in Delta State, Nigeria. It was discovered that COVID-19 lockdown increased the level of food insecurity and also affected the psychological wellbeing of married secondary school teachers in Delta State. The study therefore concluded that measures taken to control rapid spread of pandemic such as COVID-19 lockdown affected food purchase, consumption and hunger among married secondary school teachers. The study recommends, among other things, that Government should establish agricultural policies focused on boosting food production at the community level, institutions should train teachers on how to develop effective coping strategies during crisis such as home gardening, meal planning and food preservation techniques.
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