UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19: PROFILE, BEHAVIORS AND ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

ABSTRACT

Objective: to describe the sociodemographic profile, academic activities, and behaviors of college students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study, which had data collected between August and September 2020, via Google forms, in Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: of 536 students in the optional discipline of Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies, offered by the Federal University of Pelotas, in the alternate semester in 2020, 464 participated. Of these, 53.45% were in isolation and social withdrawal, 40.73% had worsening financial situation, 66.59% sought family support, and 85.96% followed distance activities. Conclusion: the distancing and social isolation were fundamental for the control of the infection by COVID-19, but presented negative factors, such as worsening of the financial situation, and positive, the adaptation to the new approaches for the continuity of the remote classes. © 2022, Universidade Federal do Parana. All rights reserved.