The Health Risk Behaviors Experienced by traditional University Students during the Implementation of Restrictive Measures of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Globally, academic zeal had been put on hold by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus lockdown which lead to the closure of all learning institutions in Zimbabwe has caused traditional university students to indulge in health risk behaviours. The research findings revealed that some of the health risk behaviour have short term or long term effects. The lockdown led university students to sexual abuse, alcohol abuse, reluctant at home, social media addiction, drug abuse, excessive sleeping and eating habits. These health risk behaviour causes physical and psychological effects to traditional university students. This study is conducted with an aim of exploring the health risk behaviours experienced by traditional university students during the implementation of COVID-19 restrictive measures in Matabeleland Province. The phenomenological research design was used to study individuals in their natural setting and the population in the study was traditional students from National University of Science (NUST) and Technology, Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) and Lupane State University of Matabeleland region. The convenience and purposive sampling was used to select the participants and data was analyzed using thematic content analysis. Data was collected through an open ended interview question on social media platforms. The COVID-19 lockdown have caused more harm to traditional university students as they were cornered to behave in unexpected behaviours which threatens their future.