APRIL 27, 2020 — A team of UTSA researchers is teaming up with San Antonio College in a new study investigating the attitudes and behaviors of college students amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Thankam S. Sunil, Xiaohe Xu and Eric C. Shattuck from the Institute for Health Disparities Research in UTSA’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Lisa K. Zottarelli from San Antonio College have started a new research study that focuses on college student knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19.
The group is working with students by looking at their use of nonpharmaceutical interventions, such as frequent hand washing, case isolation and social distancing, as well as their intention to vaccinate once a vaccine is available. Sunil adds that they also are asking about other knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors during the pandemic.
“It is important that we have a better understanding of college students’ responses to public health emergencies,” Sunil said. “The findings will be used to better understand college student behavioral response and vaccination intent during this public health crisis.”
The project has the potential to make a significant contribution to public health and the sociology of disasters, Zottarelli said.
“This is the second acute respiratory pandemic we have studied. College students can be at significant risk during infectious respiratory disease outbreaks, due to living and working conditions, and this can have a negative impact on their academic performance,” Zottarelli said.
This study will allow a better understanding of how students protect themselves before the availability of a vaccine and how the public health response can be improved during infectious respiratory disease outbreaks.
Understanding students’ vaccine intent can also help with vaccination planning once a vaccine does become available, Sunil added.
Sunil and Zottarelli previously worked together on a similar study that was published in the journals Texas Journal of Public Health (2009), Vaccine (2011) and Preventive Medicine (2012) and which focused on the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.
⇒ Learn more about the Institute for Health Disparities Research at UTSA.
“The purpose of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic project was to determine factors related to college student [nonpharmaceutical interventions] to avoid getting the flu,” Sunil said. “It was an online survey conducted at two universities in Texas. We found that more than 80% of students adopted at least one type of NPI. Public health threat perception was associated with the five NPIs measured. Perceived susceptibility to the virus, having gotten the seasonal flu vaccination in the previous year and flu symptom knowledge were associated with the use of four of the five NPIs.” Zottarelli said.
The current research project, which began in late March is expected to last eight weeks. As of mid-April the project has 2,700 students who have participated in its survey.
“This is a difficult time for students, since they are adjusting to so many challenges,” Zottarelli said. “We are grateful for their participation in our study.”
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Join the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.
Student Union Window Lounge, Main CampusLearn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.
Virtual EventThis event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
