Identifying vulnerable populations at a university during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: Persons with high-risk for severe COVID-19 illness require special attention when considering university operations during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The objective of this study was to determine the number of students who fall within a high-risk category according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines using linked databases. Participants: Students enrolled at a large public University and who accessed the student health center between 2016 and 2020. Methods: Clinical data were linked with both university student enrollment and disability services databases to provide a comprehensive, de-identified dataset of students at higher medical risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Results: 1902 unique students (14% of the student health center population) were identified as having one or more high-risk condition. Conclusions: Utilizing a large and longitudinally linked student database provides universities with valuable information to make critical administrative decisions about how best to accommodate high-risk students to reduce their medical risk when returning to in-person instruction.

Access and efficacy of university mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…This was problematic as particularly the decade before the pandemic, the mental health of students in US higher education was a growing issue as evidenced by the 2018 US National College Health Assessment which documented that 62.3% of respondents reported overwhelming anxiety and 41.4 reported beings so depressed they could not function anytime within the previous 12 months ( 31 ).The pandemic exacerbated these risks and increased the vulnerability of students to the psychological impact of COVID-19. However, studies indicate even if services are increased, student education and outreach about what services are available, and what mental health and mental health treatment entails, is needed to increase accessibility ( 32 , 33 ). This is particularly important as mental health issues are a primary obstacle to academic success ( 9 ).…”

“…Access and outreach of university mental health services is not only an ethical consideration but also a legal one. Tanabe et al ( 33 ) emphasize that case law recently determined that US universities have duty care which includes protecting students from foreseeable harm. Thus, continued advocacy for fully funded and policy-supported higher education institutional outreach and mental health services in various formats remains a priority ( 20 , 35 ).…”

“…Although, telehealth emerged as a way for colleges and universities to provide mental health and victim services to students, some US campus resources were no longer available to students due to funding deficits (30). This was problematic as particularly the decade before the pandemic, the mental health of students in US higher education was a growing issue as evidenced by the 2018 US National College Health Assessment which documented that 62.3% of respondents reported overwhelming anxiety and 41.4 reported beings so depressed they could not function anytime within (32,33). This is particularly important as mental health issues are a primary obstacle to academic success (9).…”

A PENNdemic Year in Review

“…The Philadelphia area boasts 80 secondary education institutes, many of which reside in the dense urban setting. Therefore, considerations extend beyond the vulnerable members of the university to those within the surrounding community [ 10 , 13 , 14 ]. An analytical modeling study found that an effective screening design, robust testing supplies, results management strategy, and compliance to mitigation efforts were crucial to successful university openings and keeping the community safe [ 13 ].…”