Doreen Liou^1,, Jessica Karasik¹

COVID-19 has become a worldwide pandemic, causing immense physical, social & emotional repercussions. Unbalanced nutrition and social isolation can lead to compromised immune systems, which can increase vulnerability to this viral infection. There is limited research addressing college students’ beliefs of COVID-19 related to nutrient intake. The purpose of this qualitative study is to ascertain health-related beliefs related to COVID-19 risk and prevention among undergraduate students enrolled in a New Jersey university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five undergraduate, full-time students (18 females, 7 males) between the ages of 18 to 25. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted virtually on Zoom and audio-recorded for transcription. An interview protocol consisted of seven open-ended questions related to COVID-19 using tenets of Health Belief Model. Perceived susceptibility and severity to the virus were ascertained along with perceived benefits of adopting diet-related behavior. Questions pertaining to perceived barriers and self-efficacy were queried. All interviews were transcribed verbatim with qualitative analyses performed by two independent researchers who coded the transcripts to achieve inter-rater reliability. Codes were merged into broad themes to derive an original theoretical framework addressing participants’ risk and prevention of COVID-19. Participants expressed their susceptibility to COVID-19 ranging from low-risk to high-risk based on their age, public exposure, and pre-existing health conditions. Perceived severity included notable physical, mental, and social effects. Perceived benefits included the consumption of fruits and vegetables and vitamin supplementation. Perceived barriers in adopting a healthy diet included financial and time constraints. Nutrition and health practitioners need to assess young adults’ beliefs and susceptibility to COVID-19. Educators should assess college students’ motivation to adopt healthy diets to balance their immune systems.

COVID-19, Health Belief Model, perceptions, beliefs, college students