STRESS AND STRESSORS: A PILOT STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF

R. Barredo1, M. Kanu2, J. Gishe2, E. Raynes3, B. Cosby1, T. Tolleson3
1Tennessee State University, College of Health Sciences, Nashville, United States, 2Tennessee State University, Department of Public Health, Health Administration, and Health Sciences, Nashville, United States, 3Tennessee State University, Department of Physical Therapy, Nashville, United States

Background: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, academic institutions have changed their modus operandi, particularly in adopting distance learning in lieu of face-to-face instruction. While distance learning serves as substitute for in-class instruction, students adapting to the new safer-in-place method face new challenges. Some of the measures used to lessen the spread of the disease have also impacted mental health and substance use.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine pandemic stressors and coping mechanisms utilized as relief measures by students, faculty, and staff in the College of Health Sciences at a historically Black institution.

Methods:Design: Cross-sectional study.
Sampling: A convenience sample of 209 students, 34 faculty , and 9 staff from the College of Health Sciences at a historically Black institution participated in this study.
Instrument: A 32-item Qualtrics survey was utilized to gather demographic data, COVID-19-related stressors, and coping mechanisms.
Analysis: Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test for categorical variables, and Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests for ordinal variables were used. All analyses were conducted using SAS Software System, Version 9.4 of the SAS System for Windows (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA).

Results:Demographic information
  • Among undergraduates, 76.5% were between ages the 18 and 24 years, 72.4% were female, 62.2% were African American and 90.8% were never married. For graduate students the respective percentages were 52.3%, 76.6%, 18.9% and 73%.
  • Among faculty 44.1% were 55 years and above, 70.6% were female, 35.3% were African American, 79.4% were married and 38.2% were employed for 5 years or less at the institution. The respective percentages for staff were 33.3%, 100%, 66.7%, 55.6% and 88.9%.
Stress data
  • Female students, the African American students, and undergraduates perceived stress related to the risk of contagion during the pandemic higher than the male students (P-value = 0.0096), other races (P-value = 0.0249) and graduate students (P-value = 0.0141) respectively
  • Female students perceived more stress related to relationships with relatives (P-value = 0.0128)
  • Caucasian students compared to others (P-value = 0.0240) and graduate students compared to undergraduate students (P-value = 0.0011) had less perceived stress related to the relationships with other colleagues.
  • African American students compared to other students (P-value = 0.0386) and undergraduate students compared to graduate students (P-value = 0.0016) had higher perceived stress with regards to relationships with university professors.
  • While a significant majority of the faculty and staff responded somewhat stressful or higher to the stress questionnaire, male faculty and staff had higher perceived changes in sexual life compare to female faculty and staff (P-value = 0.0047).
Coping strategies
  • Coping strategies of students and staff included family and friends, social media, hand hygiene, and mindfulness/meditation/spiritualty.
  • Coping strategies of faculty included family and friends, mindfulness/meditation/spiritualty, avoidance of public spaces/transportation, and hand hygiene.

Conclusions: The pandemic has impacted faculty, staff, and students in myriad ways. The resulting stress has led to the utilization of various coping mechanisms as relief measures during this difficult period.

Implications: A study of stress, stressors, and coping mechanisms among faculty, staff, and students provides valuable information when identifying and tailoring mental health interventions among the identified groups.

Funding acknowledgements: This study was funded with a Seed Grant from the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at Tennessee State University.

Keywords:
COVID-19
Stress and stressors
Coping strategies

Topics:
Mental health
COVID-19

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Tennessee State University
Committee: Institutional Review Board
Ethics number: HS2022-4757

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.

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