The Impact of COVID-19 on College Students’ Well-being: A National Snapshot From Spring 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2026.686Keywords:
COVID-19, students, college, health, surveyAbstract
COVID-19 has been pervasive on college campuses. However, there is limited understanding about the impact of COVID-19 on college students at the outset of the epidemic in the U.S. This study examined a national sample of college students’ COVID-19 experiences in spring 2020, a time in which there were few studies with robust samples. COVID-19-related questions were added to two national college health surveys: the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III and Healthy Minds Study. Surveys were administered at 14 colleges/universities with 18,764 total respondents between March-May 2020. The sample was weighted to account for non-response, and descriptive statistics were calculated. Results indicated that one-third of students had to change living situations due to COVID-19, and two-thirds had more financial stress. Of those who sought mental healthcare, over 60% found it more difficult to access. Approximately 41% witnessed discriminatory behavior due to perceived race/ethnicity, while 5.5% experienced it personally. Most respondents adhered to recommended personal protective behaviors, but a substantial number were not consistently compliant. Students generally believed their institution’s administration and faculty were supportive. These findings demonstrate that COVID-19 negatively affected students in multi-faceted ways at the beginning of the epidemic.
Institutions of higher education are critical locales for health promotion efforts to improve students’ wellbeing, and college students are an important priority population for ongoing research. These results have implications for better understanding the immediate impact of COVID-19 on college students while also providing insights and lessons learned for future public health emergencies.
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