Mental Health Burden Among College Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant public health issue and has negatively burdened the general population’s health, though assessment among vulnerable groups remain limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic among college students. Method:This study utilized a cross-sectional approach. Courses across multiple departments were used to collect data in order to ensure a diversity of majors. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 28 with p \u3c.05 denoting significance. Results: A total of 98 study participants were included in analyses. Among study participants, 32%reported feeling their mental health worsened due to COVID-19 related isolation, 20% stated COVID-19 related reasons as to why they felt discrimination, and 47% noted their grades worsened due to the pandemic. Significant associations were found between reported low general mental health status and COVID-19 isolation worsening mental health, between such isolation and worsening grades, between ethnicity and worsening mental health due to COVID-19 isolation, as well as ethnicity and the pandemic’s negative impact on grades. Conclusion: Results highlight the importance of addressing pandemic-related mental health outcomes among college students to optimize their wellness. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1393