A qualitative evaluation of a campus wide COVID-19 health education campaign: Intent, impact, and ideas for the future

Abstract

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the diseases it causes remain a public health threat. Data describing health education campaigns for COVID-19 on university and college campuses are lacking, however. Purpose: This study explored college students’ experiences of a USA campus COVID-19 campaign encouraging masking, social distancing and handwashing. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with 33 demographically diverse students. Questions focused on students’ experiences during COVID-19, actions and beliefs, and reactions to the university’s COVID-19 prevention campaign. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate responses to the campaign and identify suggestions for future interventions. Results: Students identified three areas of concern – lack of enforcement for nonadherence, inequities and inconsistencies in messaging and failure to connect messages to students’ daily experiences – as problematic. Participants also said the campaign did not address their primary COVID-19 concerns, outlining four thematic content areas needing more attention – learning in quarantine, missing the ‘college experience’, difficult social relationships and chaos and uncertainty. Discussion: COVID-19 prevention campaigns on campus may be best served by a holistic ecological model engaging with needed forms of support on multiple levels. Conclusion: Health education and promotion campaigns that speak to individual, relational, community and policy aspects of disease such as COVID-19 are more promising than campaigns that promote single prevention actions.