Behaviors and attitudes of college students during an academic semester at two Wisconsin universities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective

Characterize college student COVID-19 behaviors and attitudes during the early pandemic. Participants: Students on two university campuses in Wisconsin.

Methods

Surveys administered in September and November 2020.

Results

Few students (3–19%) participated in most in-person activities during the semester, with eating at restaurants as the exception (72–80%) and attending work (35%) and parties (33%) also reported more frequently. The majority wore masks in public (94–99%), but comparatively fewer (42%) did so at parties. Mask-wearing at parties decreased from September to November (p < 0.05). Students attending parties, or consuming more alcohol, were less concerned and more likely to take COVID-19-associated risks.

Conclusions

Students were motivated to adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures but gathered socially. Though there was frequent public masking, mask-wearing at parties declined in November and may represent pandemic fatigue. High-yield strategies for decreasing viral spread may include changing masking social norms and engaging with students about creative risk-reduction strategies.

Keywords:

• SARS-CoV-2
• COVID-19
• universities
• college campuses
• college students
• physical distancing
• mask-wearing

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Fatima Abdirizak, Rodel Desamu-Thorpe, Monique Foster, Clint Morgan, David Payne, Tarah Somers, Jeanne Ruff, John Paul Bigouette, Marie Killerby for their contributions.

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 of America. This work was reviewed by ethical review boards at both universities, CDC, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and was determined to be non-research as public health surveillance under federal law and CDC policy. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.

Funding

This work was part of a public health investigation and was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the CDC.

Notes

1 https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/EmO01-FaceCoverings.pdf

2 See e.g., 45 C.F.R. part 46.102(l)(2), 21 C.F.R. part 56; 42 U.S.C. §241(d); 5 U.S.C. §552a; 44 U.S.C. §3501 et seq.

3 Conditions reported were asthma/reactive airway disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, hypertension, immunosuppressive condition or therapy, kidney disorder, liver disorder, obesity, transplant history

4 Survey question asked about “social distancing” defined in parentheses as “separation of minimum of 6 feet from others”

5 3 students did not reply at start of semester; 6 students did not reply at end of semester

6 9 students did not reply at end of semester

7 6 students did not reply at start of semester; 7 students did not reply at end of semester

8 1 student did not reply at start of semester

9 Students could select more than one source of tuition. 4 students did not reply to this question at start of semester

10    

11 5 students did not reply at end of semester

12 This combined variable was derived from list of underlying medical conditions with option to select “yes”, “no” or “unknown”. 171 students did not reply at start of semester; 178 students did not reply at end of semester.

13 62 students did not reply at end of semester; 10 of these were in the cohort of students answering at both time points (third column)

14 4 students did not reply at end of semester

15 5 students did not reply to this question

16 86 students did not reply to this question

17 6 students did not reply to this question

18 8 students did not reply to this question

19 9 students did not reply to this question

20 4 students did not reply to this question

21 No. for each individual activity reflects the number of students participating in activity (those who answered N/A were eliminated from total)

22 p-values were calculated using χ² tests

23 4 students did not reply to this question

24 86 students did not reply to this question

25 6 students did not reply to this question

26 Physical distancing = separation of minimum of 6 feet from others

27 14 students did not reply to this question

Abbreviation: N/A = not applicable