Stress, anxiety, and sleep among college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective We categorized levels of self-reported stress, anxiety, worry, and sleep among US college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted an anonymous online survey between May 7 and June 21, 2020. Results Nearly all participants reported worry about the pandemic. Nearly half (95% CI: 43.3-51.3) reported moderate-to-severe anxiety, and 42.0% (95% CI: 38.0-45.9) reported experiencing poor sleep quality. Those with moderate-to-severe anxiety were more likely (OR: 3.3; 95% CI: 2.4-4.7) to report poor sleep quality than those with less anxiety. Moderate or extreme worry about the pandemic was associated with poor sleep quality (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-2.1). Conclusions Our survey found high levels of stress, worry, anxiety, and poor sleep among US college and university students during the early months of the pandemic. Universities should prioritize access to resources for healthy coping to help students manage anxiety and improve sleep quality as the pandemic continues.

Automated summary

This study categorized the levels of stress, anxiety, worry, and sleep among US college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that most participants expressed worry about the pandemic, with nearly half reporting moderate to severe anxiety and 42% reporting poor sleep quality. Those with moderate to severe anxiety were more likely to have poor sleep quality, and moderate or extreme worry about the pandemic was associated with poor sleep quality.