CUR - The Council on Undergraduate Research

Student Perception of COVID-19

Angel Jaimes, Emily Pollack, Jordyn Jackson, Josiah Takang, Katy Chon, Sage Dombrowski, and Dr. Thomas Leeper, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, 1000 Chastain Road, Kennesaw GA 30144

In the past year, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease has rapidly spread throughout the world, causing disruptions to the infrastructure and lives of countless people. Amidst the absence of a readily available medical treatment, national and private efforts to mitigate the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have relied primarily on compliance with public health recommendations (Leigh et al., 2020). An understanding of what factors influence student willingness to adhere to these public health recommendations is essential to promote student confidence in scientifically accurate information and minimize the spread of misinformation. This study will assess undergraduate student perception and general knowledge of the virus associated with COVID-19. To identify underlying factors correlated with the degree of student willingness to implement preventive behaviors, we will administer an online survey to students at Kennesaw State University (KSU) with questions addressing student perception, general knowledge, and background demographics. We predict that students lacking a depth of knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 biology will exhibit a less precautious attitude and acceptance of preventive behaviors. Through this research, we hope to improve student perception of the severity of the COVID-19 disease and promote effective health communication that addresses student behavioral responses to preventive health measures for future health crises.

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