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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student’ sleep patterns, sexual activity, screen use, and food intake: A global survey
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, PLOS ONE, 17(1):0262617. Public Library of Science, PLoS ONE, Vol 17, Iss 1, p e0262617 (2022)
- Publication Year :
- 2022
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science, 2022.
-
Abstract
- BackgroundThe education sector experienced substantial impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting from worldwide restrictions.PurposeTo examine differences in the sleep patterns, sexual activity, screen use, and food intake of students and non-students during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis was a global cross-sectional study conducted in the second half of 2020 using multiple social media platforms to recruit study participants globally. A close-ended questionnaire was administered anonymously in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic to adults ages 18 and older. The outcome variables considered in analyses were changes in sleep pattern, sexual activity, screen use, and food intake. The explanatory variable was student status categorized as students vs. non-student. T-test, chi-square, and Mann Whitney U tests were used to assess differences between student and non-student populations. One logistic regression model was built for each outcome variable. Country of residence and country income level were included in the adjusted models.ResultsThere were 17,008 participants of which 3,793 (22.3%) were students. Of the total sample, 4,889 (28.7%) reported changes in sleep, 4,642 (31.8%) reported increases in sexual activity, 10,278 (70.7%) reported increases in screen use, and 5,662 (40.2%) reported increases in food intake during the pandemic. Compared to non-students, students had significantly higher odds of reporting changes in sleep (AOR = 1.52), increases in sexual activity (AOR = 1.79), and increases in screen use (AOR = 1.36) but lower odds of reporting increase in food intake (AOR = 0.87).ConclusionStudents displayed higher risk of experiencing changes in sleep, sexual behavior, and screen use during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has the potential to lead to broader adverse effects on students' overall wellbeing. The findings and implications raise further obligations on the education sector to put extra-curricular support systems in place that address COVID-19 related behavior changes that have the potential to adversely impact students' wellbeing.
- Subjects :
- Viral Diseases
Epidemiology
Physiology
Economics
Social Sciences
Economic Geography
Global Health
Eating
Medical Conditions
Learning and Memory
Surveys and Questionnaires
Medicine and Health Sciences
Psychology
COVID-19/epidemiology
Geography
Infectious Diseases
Medicine
HEALTH
Research Article
Adolescent
Science
Sexual Behavior
education
Screen Time
Human Learning
Young Adult
Low Income Countries
Mental Health and Psychiatry
Learning
Humans
Students
Pandemics
Nutrition
Behavior
Cognitive Psychology
Biology and Life Sciences
COVID-19
Covid 19
Students/psychology
Diet
Cross-Sectional Studies
Food
Earth Sciences
Cognitive Science
Physiological Processes
Sleep
Social Media
Neuroscience
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 17
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.pmid.dedup....c1233e42c6a8c6f88bced38fef0d23d2