Pandemic-Related Stress Among U.S. College Students: Disparities by Gender Identity, Race/Ethnicity, and Sexual Orientation

Abstract

This study aimed to assess potential disparities in pandemic-related stress associated with gender identity, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation among college students. We used the 2021 Spring American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment data collected at one large, southeastern university in March of 2021. The sample (n = 659) included 18–32 year-old students who self-identified as cisgender (cis) men, cis women, and transgender/gender nonbinary (TGNB). The majority of students reported being extremely or very concerned with several pandemic-related outcomes, e.g., uncertainty regarding the future. In addition, 47% of students reported witnessing racial/ethnic discrimination as a result of the pandemic, and 43% of students reported increased stress due to the pandemic. For the majority of measures, the negative impact of the pandemic was significantly higher among cis women and/or TGNB students relative to cis men, racial/ethnic minorities relative to non-Hispanic (NH) white students, and sexual minorities relative to heterosexual students. Among diverse racial/ethnic groups, experiencing racial/ethnic discrimination as a result of the pandemic was most commonly reported by NH Asian/Asian American (18%) and NH black/African American (14%) students. Our findings reinforce the importance of needs assessment and future monitoring of mental health and well-being among college students, especially minority students, as they are more likely to be severely impacted by the pandemic. In addition, the study revealed that substantial numbers of students witnessed discrimination against racial/ethnic minorities as a result of the pandemic, suggesting that there is a need for the implementation of additional programs to promote equity, equality, and inclusion among all individuals.