COVID-19 Beliefs, Behaviors, and Perceptions Among Students on a College Campus During the Global Coronavirus Pandemic

ObjectivesElucidating how people think and behave during a disease outbreak may provide valuable insight and help direct programs or surveillance to combat the spread of disease. As universities welcomed students back to their campuses following COVID-19 shutdowns, it became important to know students beliefs on COVID-19 and how these beliefs guided behaviors? The objective of this study was to determine how students at East Carolina University felt about COVID-19, which behaviors they exhibited during the pandemic, and whether their feelings and behaviors differed significantly between the Spring and Fall 2021 semesters. MethodsSurveys (N= 408) were distributed to students who were currently enrolled in Environmental Health Science classes during the Spring and Fall semesters of 2021. Questions were developed using a Likert scale and were analyzed to determine significant differences (p < 0.05) between semesters. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (SPSS Institute, Chicago, Ill). ResultsResults showed most students felt "somewhat concerned" about the COVID-19 pandemic during both semesters. Significant differences in student concern regarding COVID-19 between Spring and Fall semesters, were not observed p = 0.598. Student behaviors regarding weekly gatherings significant differed between semesters with a reported increase in gatherings of 5+ during the Fall semester, p < 0.001. Interestingly, we found more students indicated during the Spring semester in comparison to the Fall that they believed the vaccine was not safe and they would not take it (p < 0.001). ConclusionOur findings suggest that as the pandemic went on, behavior changes were observed in students between the semesters. This information may be important to officials as cases may fluctuate over time. Knowledge of attitudes and/or behaviors and awareness may help explain these fluctuations, allowing public health professionals to adjust recommendations and focus more intently on populations at risk.