%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications
%V 22
%N 9
%P e22817
%T Investigating Mental Health of US College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey Study
%A Wang,Xiaomei
%A Hegde,Sudeep
%A Son,Changwon
%A Keller,Bruce
%A Smith,Alec
%A Sasangohar,Farzan
%+ Industrial and Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, Emerging Technologies Building, 3131 TAMU, 101 Bizzell Street, College Station, TX, 77843, United States, 1 9794582337, sasangohar@tamu.edu
%K mental health
%K online survey
%K COVID-19
%K coronavirus
%K college student
%K student
%K stress
%K depression
%K university
%D 2020
%7 17.9.2020
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has generally increased levels of stress and depression among the public. However, the impact on college students in the United States has not been well-documented. Objective: This paper surveys the mental health status and severity of depression and anxiety of college students in a large university system in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online survey was conducted among undergraduate and graduate students recruited from Texas A&M University via email. The survey consisted of two standardized scales—the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the General Anxiety Disorder-7—for depression and anxiety, and additional multiple-choice and open-ended questions regarding stressors and coping mechanisms specific to COVID-19. Results: Among the 2031 participants, 48.14% (n=960) showed a moderate-to-severe level of depression, 38.48% (n=775) showed a moderate-to-severe level of anxiety, and 18.04% (n=366) had suicidal thoughts. A majority of participants (n=1443, 71.26%) indicated that their stress/anxiety levels had increased during the pandemic. Less than half of the participants (n=882, 43.25%) indicated that they were able to cope adequately with the stress related to the current situation. Conclusions: The proportion of respondents showing depression, anxiety, and/or suicidal thoughts is alarming. Respondents reported academic-, health-, and lifestyle-related concerns caused by the pandemic. Given the unexpected length and severity of the outbreak, these concerns need to be further understood and addressed. 
%M 32897868
%R 10.2196/22817
%U http://www.jmir.org/2020/9/e22817/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/22817
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32897868