COVID-19 and Mental Health of Minority Arab Higher-Education Students in Israel: Social, Economic, and Academic Factors

Samira Alfayumi-Zeadna (), Lena Gnaim-Abu Touma, Maya Weinreich and Norm O’Rourke
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Samira Alfayumi-Zeadna: Nursing Department, School of Health Sciences, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78211, Israel
Lena Gnaim-Abu Touma: Department of Education, Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education, Baqa-El-Gharbia 30100, Israel
Maya Weinreich: Medical School for International Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
Norm O’Rourke: School of Public Health and Multidisciplinary Center for Research on Aging, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-12

Abstract: The mental health and well-being of higher-education students is a topic of growing interest. COVID-19 impacted higher education in many ways and the challenges were especially pronounced for minority students. This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Arab minority students in Israel in relation to social, academic, and financial factors. We recruited 420 Arab higher-education students enrolled in academic colleges or universities in Israel who completed a battery of online questionnaires. Mental health status was measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21). Moderate to severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were reported by 49.3%, 45.2%, and 54% of Arab students, respectively. Analyses indicate that low quality of online learning, academic difficulties, and negative economic effects of COVID-19 predicted stress, anxiety, and depression. Women reported higher levels of depression and stress; job loss predicted depression and anxiety; low income predicted depression; and COVID-19-related health concerns predicted anxiety. This study highlights the unique and multiple challenges faced by minority students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Campus programs are needed to address the emotional needs of students. Longitudinal research is needed to more fully understand the impact of COVID-19 on higher-education students.

Keywords: COVID-19; mental health; depression; anxiety; stress; higher-education students; ethnic minorities; Arab students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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