The experiences and impact on wellness among international students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective Assessing experiences and impact on wellness among international students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: 405 undergraduate and graduate international students from 65 countries studying at a large public university. Methods: An online, voluntary and anonymous survey consisting of 50 quantitative and qualitative questions was conducted through Qualtrics. Descriptive and frequency analyses were used. Results: 27% of the students had concerns about the changes in student visa status that could seriously disrupt their studies in the U.S. 66.2% of them reported a moderate level, 18.8% reported a high level of stress related to the pandemic. Students identified the highest confidence in getting tested for infection but the lowest confidence in getting treatment if infected. They preferred telehealth for mental health services. Conclusions: Universities can best help international students by assisting with student visa and international travel issues, access to treatment for COVID-19 infection and developing telehealth for mental health services.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• international students
• pandemic
• wellness

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.