Health Knowledge of Undergraduate College Students During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic

Abstract

Health knowledge and health literacy are key factors that influence health promotion and disease prevention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, undergraduate college students were faced with multiple stressors that influenced their health. Health knowledge and health literacy could have improved their overall health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore health perceptions, health behaviors, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, general health knowledge, and understanding of health disparities in undergraduate college students. Students were recruited through the university’s email. An online Qualtrics survey was distributed through the email system to a stratified random sample. Two-hundred eleven students participated in the study. The majority of respondents were female (71.5%) and Caucasian (61.1%) and reported excellent or good physical health (80.6%). However, over 40% reported only fair/poor mental health (44.3%). Nonwhite students had 2.2 times higher odds of not having had a well-visit within the past 2 years. Students with lower parental income had higher odds of reporting a negative financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased stress, mental health issues, social isolation, and financial issues were the most reported effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students expressed that discussing mental health was uncomfortable, and there is a stigma associated with mental illness. Students who were older than 21 years of age displayed a higher health knowledge than younger students. Almost half of the students demonstrated a basic knowledge of the definition of health disparities. While a majority of the students in this study engaged in healthy behaviors, the findings revealed that there was a reluctance to express feelings of mental health. This reluctance could lead to mental distress. Therefore, university programs are needed to assist students with discussing mental health and identifying appropriate resources. Understanding health can decrease stressors related to illness and can improve mental and physical health in the long term.