Identifying Barriers to Basic Needs, Academic Success, and the Vaccination Pattern among College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Subi Gandhi (), Ryan Glaman, Alexandra Jordan, Dylan DiChristofaro, Katelyn Clark, Viraj Gandhi and Jade Smith
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Subi Gandhi: Department of Medical Lab Sciences, Public Health, and Nutrition Science, Tarleton State University, 1333 West Washington, Stephenville, TX 76402, USA
Ryan Glaman: Department of Educational Leadership & Technology, E.J. Howell Building 404, College of Education, Tarleton State University, 1333 West Washington, Stephenville, TX 76402, USA
Alexandra Jordan: Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, & Environmental Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Dylan DiChristofaro: Department of Counseling, Tarleton State University, 10850 Texan Rider Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76036, USA
Katelyn Clark: Department of Medical Lab Sciences, Public Health, and Nutrition Science, Tarleton State University, 1333 West Washington, Stephenville, TX 76402, USA
Viraj Gandhi: Robbins College of Health and Human Services, Baylor University, Hankamer Academic Center, 1428 S 5th Street, Waco, TX 76706, USA
Jade Smith: Department of Medical Lab Sciences, Public Health, and Nutrition Science, Tarleton State University, 1333 West Washington, Stephenville, TX 76402, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 20, 1-20

Abstract: College students face significant challenges during large-scale disease outbreaks that potentially compromise their basic needs, vaccine confidence, and academic success. Using a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, we examined the impact of COVID-19 among college students ( N = 828). The survey was administered using the Qualtrics survey platform to collect data on multiple demographic and health behaviors of students in the summer semester (2021). Our study demonstrated that the most common financial shock experienced by the study participants was job loss, with less remarkable changes in food and housing insecurities. Academically, students had the most difficulty learning online compared to other modalities (face-to-face, Hyflex, etc.) and struggled with staying motivated. They also struggled with group work and finding appropriate learning spaces. However, many did not use university support systems such as career and tutoring services. Exploring the COVID-19 vaccination attitudes, we found that only age, ethnicity, classification, and health insurance status were associated with getting vaccinated ( p < 0.05). When the learning environment was assessed for various modalities, only college attendance was significantly associated ( p < 0.05) with the accessible platforms (online, Hyflex, face-to-face, and others); however, nearly 40% of students reported difficulty learning on an online learning platform compared other categories that had much lower proportions. Our findings underscore an immediate need for universities to take measures to improve their preparedness and response strategies to mitigate the negative effects of future large-scale public health emergencies among students.

Keywords: pandemic; college health; colleges; academic barriers; socioeconomic barriers; vaccine attitudes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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