COVID-19 and college students: health literacy experiences and training needs

Abstract

Objective

To explore health literacy (HL) experiences, needs, and future training directions among college students enrolled in health-related degree programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants

Students (n = 169) enrolled in a health-related degree program at a state university in the mid-western U.S. completed an online survey.

Methods

Forty-five questions were developed assessing: (1) demographics; (2) HL; (3) health behaviors; (4) health/well-being; and (5) academic/financial impacts. A HL score across four domains (access, understand, appraise, apply) was calculated. Participants were categorized as having sufficient or insufficient HL. Associations between HL and categorical variables were tested (Chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests). Comparisons between sufficient and insufficient HL were performed (Wilcoxon rank-sum tests).

Results

Participants had sufficient (55.6%) and insufficient (44.4%) HL. Age was statistically significant with HL (p < 0.5). The top three future training needs were identified (psychological impact, diagnostic/prevention/treatment, racial/ethnic disparities).

Conclusions

Emerging health professionals reported sufficient HL, yet information gaps and training needs remain.

Keywords:

• College students
• COVID-19
• health literacy
• health professionals

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 the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Western Michigan University.

Funding

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

Table 1. Participant characteristics (N = 169).