A Comparative Study Regarding the Impact of Covid-19 on Latin American College Students

Authors

  • Miguel Perez California State University, Estados Unidos
  • Maria Fernanda Durón-Ramos Universidad de Sonora, México
  • Jhony A. De La Cruz-Vargas Universidad Ricardo Palma, Perú
  • Edgardo Chacon Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador
  • Goldny Mills Universidad Central del Este, República Dominicana
  • Kenneth J. Perez California State University, Estados Unidos
  • Concepción Elena Amador Ahumada Universidad de Córdoba, Colombia
  • Luz Dary Ripoll Garcia Universidad de Córdoba, Colombia
  • Virginia Consuelo Rodríguez Rodríguez Universidad de Córdoba, Colombia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.39.01.618.723

Keywords:

Lifestyle, happiness, students, health behaviors, COVID-19, orientation

Abstract

COVID-19 has changed educational opportunities for students around the world and in the process affected their lifestyle, happiness, and engagement.  The present research is part of a project from six universities in different countries across Latin America to examine the impact of COVID-19 in university students. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle changes, orientations to happiness, and student engagement among a sample of college students in Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Peru and the US. Methods. Participants were 1764 students from the six countries previously identified. Data were collected using the Student Health Behavior Inventory, the Orientations to Happiness Scale, and the University Student Engagement Inventory. Results. Student respondents were mostly female with a median age of 22.  Most reported no changes in academic performance, and statistically significant changes in some lifestyle behaviors such as nutrition and physical activity.  Conclusions.  The global pandemic led to behavioral changes among college students in Latin America and affected their orientations to happiness and their engagement.  Institutions of higher learning are called to create opportunities for their students to reintegrate into an in-person learning environment to facilitate positive lifestyle changes for their students.

Author Biographies

  • Miguel Perez, California State University, Estados Unidos

    Professor and Director, Master of Public Health Program. California State University,
    Fresno, Fresno, CA, USA. .Ph.D. Egresado de: The Pennsylvania State University.
    Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5234-9568 mperez@csufresno.edu

  • Maria Fernanda Durón-Ramos, Universidad de Sonora, México

    Professor, School of Psychology, Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, Sonora, México. Ph.D. Egresado de: Universidad de Sonora. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7621-2128 . maria.duron@itson.edu.mx

  • Jhony A. De La Cruz-Vargas, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Perú

    Professor, School of Medicine, Director Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas,
    Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Perú. MD., Ph.D. Egresado: Universidad Ricardo Palma. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5592-0504. jhony.delacruz@urp.edu.pe

  • Edgardo Chacon, Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador

    Professor and Director, School of Psychology, Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador. MS. Egresado: Universidad Centro Americana Simeon Cañas.
    Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8490-6384. edgardo.chacon@utec.edu.sv

  • Goldny Mills, Universidad Central del Este, República Dominicana

    Professor, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Este, San Pedro de Macorís, República Dominicana.
    MD. Egresado: Universidad Central del Este. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4076-1256.
    goldnymills@gmail.com

  • Kenneth J. Perez, California State University, Estados Unidos

    Presidential Scholar, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, California, USA. Estudiante
    pregrado: California State University, Dominguez Hills. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6917-8702. kperez126@toromail.csudh.edu

  • Concepción Elena Amador Ahumada, Universidad de Córdoba, Colombia

    Professor, School of Nursing, Universidad de Córdoba, Monteria, Colombia. MS. Egresada de la Universidad de Cartagena. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0008-3374.
    concepcionamador@correo.unicordoba.edu.co

  • Luz Dary Ripoll Garcia, Universidad de Córdoba, Colombia

    Professor, School of Nursing, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Colombia. MS. Egresada de la
    Universidad de Córdoba-Colombia. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4761-905X.
    lripoll@correo.unicordoba.edu.co

  • Virginia Consuelo Rodríguez Rodríguez, Universidad de Córdoba, Colombia

    Professor, School of Bacteriology, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Colombia. MS. Egresada de
    la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0295-4647.
    vrodriguez@correo.unicordoba.edu.co

Published

2023-06-15

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

How to Cite

A Comparative Study Regarding the Impact of Covid-19 on Latin American College Students. (2023). SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL SALUD UNINORTE, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.39.01.618.723

Similar Articles

1-10 of 681

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.