IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i8p3908-d532241.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Gender Differences in the COVID-19 Pandemic Risk Perception, Psychology, and Behaviors of Spanish University Students

Author

Listed:
  • Stephanie Rodriguez-Besteiro

    (Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Tajo Street, s/n, 28670 Madrid, Spain)

  • José Francisco Tornero-Aguilera

    (Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Tajo Street, s/n, 28670 Madrid, Spain
    Studies Centre in Applied Combat (CESCA), 45007 Toledo, Spain)

  • Jesús Fernández-Lucas

    (Applied Biotechnology Group, European University of Madrid, c/ Tajo s/n, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain
    Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, GICNEX, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, 080002 Barranquilla, Colombia)

  • Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez

    (Faculty of Sports Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Tajo Street, s/n, 28670 Madrid, Spain
    Studies Centre in Applied Combat (CESCA), 45007 Toledo, Spain
    Grupo de Investigación en Cultura, Educación y Sociedad, Universidad de la Costa, 080002 Barranquilla, Colombia)

Abstract

The actual COVID-19 pandemic scenario has generated a context of uncertainty, helplessness, and inequality. Yet, the perception of COVID-19 risk has influenced nutritional, psychological, and physical activity patterns depending on gender. We conducted the present research with the aim of studying gender differences of university students in the perceived risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in psychological, nutritional, oral health, and physical activity habits. To reach the study’s aim, 300 volunteer university students completed an online questionnaire which analyzed variables of perceived risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological profiles, and nutritional, oral health, and physical activity habits. Results showed that females presented a higher perception of danger to the COVID-19 virus than males but showed no differences in how the pandemic has affected personal lives. Females showed higher values of anxiety, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience, while males presented higher values of extraversion. Nutritionally, males presented greater consumption of soft drinks, meat, and pasta or rice, and lower buccal hygiene. Yet, no differences were found regarding physical activity patterns. Results from the present study could be used by various educational institutions to implement multidisciplinary interventions to reduce the stress and risk perception.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephanie Rodriguez-Besteiro & José Francisco Tornero-Aguilera & Jesús Fernández-Lucas & Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez, 2021. "Gender Differences in the COVID-19 Pandemic Risk Perception, Psychology, and Behaviors of Spanish University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-9, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:8:p:3908-:d:532241
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/3908/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/3908/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vincenzo Galasso & Vincent Pons & Paola Profeta & Michael Becher & Sylvain Brouard & Martial Foucault, 2020. "Gender Differences in COVID-19 Related Attitudes and Behavior: Evidence from a Panel Survey in Eight OECD Countries," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03594437, HAL.
    2. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/30j8b527qi94hpffbv52bsav72 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Munir Ahmad & Nadeem Akhtar & Gul Jabeen & Muhammad Irfan & Muhammad Khalid Anser & Haitao Wu & Cem Işık, 2021. "Intention-Based Critical Factors Affecting Willingness to Adopt Novel Coronavirus Prevention in Pakistan: Implications for Future Pandemics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-28, June.
    2. Sadiqa, Bibi Aisha, 2023. "Overcoming Vaccine Skepticism in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study of Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors towards COVID-19 Vaccination," MPRA Paper 116204, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 25 Jan 2023.
    3. Elena Korneeva & Wadim Strielkowski & Raisa Krayneva & Anna Sherstobitova, 2022. "Social Health and Psychological Safety of Students Involved in Online Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-15, October.
    4. Ana Ramírez-Adrados & Valentín E. Fernández-Elías & Silvia Fernández-Martínez & Beatriz Martínez-Pascual & Cristina Gonzalez-de-Ramos & Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez, 2022. "The Effect of Studying a Double Degree in the Psychophysiological Stress Response in the Bachelor’s Thesis Defense," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-11, January.
    5. María Carreira-Míguez & Eduardo Navarro-Jiménez & Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez, 2022. "Behavioral Patterns of Depression Patients and Control Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-13, August.
    6. Ling Pan & Jun Li & Ziao Hu & Henan Wu, 2022. "The Effect of COVID-19 Perceived Risk on Internet Addiction among College Students in China: An Empirical Study Based on the Structural Equation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-15, October.
    7. Yi Ding & Jie Yang & Tingting Ji & Yongyu Guo, 2021. "Women Suffered More Emotional and Life Distress than Men during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Pathogen Disgust Sensitivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-9, August.
    8. Stephanie Rodriguez-Besteiro & Ana Isabel Beltran-Velasco & José Francisco Tornero-Aguilera & Marina Begoña Martínez-González & Eduardo Navarro-Jiménez & Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda & Vicente Javier Cleme, 2023. "Social Media, Anxiety and COVID-19 Lockdown Measurement Compliance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-13, March.
    9. Michele Borgia & Eugenia Nissi & Maura La Torre & Guido Ortolani, 2022. "The Relationship between Demographics and Knowledge Risk Perception of High School Teachers: Training as a Mediator," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-13, December.
    10. Simone Nomie-Sato & Emilia Condes Moreno & Adriana Rico Villanueva & Pascual Chiarella & Jose Francisco Tornero-Aguilera & Ana Isabel Beltrán-Velasco & Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez, 2022. "Gender Differences of University Students in the Online Teaching Quality and Psychological Profile during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-10, November.
    11. Samantha Garcia & Suellen Hopfer & Elouise Botes & Samuel Greiff, 2022. "Associations between Coronavirus Crisis Perception, Perceived Economic Risk of Coronavirus, General Self-Efficacy, and Coronavirus Anxiety at the Start of the Pandemic: Differences by Gender and Race," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Foliano, Francesca & Tonei, Valentina & Sevilla, Almudena, 2024. "Social restrictions, leisure and well-being," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Borisova, Ekaterina & Gründler, Klaus & Hackenberger, Armin & Harter, Anina & Potrafke, Niklas & Schoors, Koen, 2023. "Crisis experience and the deep roots of COVID-19 vaccination preferences," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Sonia OREFICCE & Climent Quintana-Domeque, 2021. "Gender inequality in COVID-19 times: evidence from UK prolific participants," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 87(2), pages 261-287, June.
    4. Pronkina, Elizaveta & Berniell, Inés & Fawaz, Yarine & Laferrère, Anne & Mira, Pedro, 2023. "The COVID-19 curtain: Can past communist regimes explain the vaccination divide in Europe?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
    5. Abel Brodeur & David Gray & Anik Islam & Suraiya Bhuiyan, 2021. "A literature review of the economics of COVID‐19," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1007-1044, September.
    6. Borau, Sylvie & Couprie, Hélène & Hopfensitz, Astrid, 2022. "The prosociality of married people: Evidence from a large multinational sample," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Victoria Costoya & Lucía Echeverría & María Edo & Ana Rocha & Agustina Thailinger, 2022. "Gender Gaps within Couples: Evidence of Time Re-allocations during COVID-19 in Argentina," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 213-226, June.
    8. Katsushi S. Imai & Nidhi Kaicker & Raghav Gaiha, 2021. "Severity of the COVID‐19 pandemic in India," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 517-546, May.
    9. Stefanie Huber, 2022. "SHE canÕt afford it and HE doesnÕt want it: The gender gap in the COVID-19 consumption response," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-029/II, Tinbergen Institute.
    10. Celidoni, Martina & Costa-Font, Joan & Salmasi, Luca, 2022. "Too Healthy to Fall Sick? Longevity Expectations and Protective Health Behaviours during the First Wave of COVID-19," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 733-745.
    11. Victoria Costoya & Lucía Echeverría & María Edo & Ana Rocha & Agustina Thailinger, 2020. "The impact of COVID-19 in the allocation of time within couples. Evidence for Argentina," Working Papers 145, Universidad de San Andres, Departamento de Economia, revised Aug 2020.
    12. Picchio, Matteo & Santolini, Raffaella, 2022. "The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on voter turnout," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    13. Jungwon Min, 2020. "Does social trust slow down or speed up the transmission of COVID-19?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, December.
    14. Bello, Piera & Rocco, Lorenzo, 2022. "Education and COVID-19 excess mortality," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    15. Aditya Goenka & Lin Liu & Manh-Hung Nguyen, 2021. "Modeling optimal quarantines with waning immunity," Discussion Papers 21-10, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham.
    16. Menon, Nidhiya, 2021. "Does BMI predict the early spatial variation and intensity of Covid-19 in developing countries? Evidence from India," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    17. Andrea Fazio & Tomasso Reggiani & Fabio Sabatini, 2021. "The political cost of lockdown´s enforcement," MUNI ECON Working Papers 2021-04, Masaryk University, revised Feb 2023.
    18. Isaure Delaporte & Julia Escobar & Werner Peña, 2021. "The distributional consequences of social distancing on poverty and labour income inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 34(4), pages 1385-1443, October.
    19. Graeber, Daniel & Schmidt-Petri, Christoph & Schröder, Carsten, 2021. "Attitudes on voluntary and mandatory vaccination against COVID-19: Evidence from Germany," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18.
    20. Andersson, Ola & Campos-Mercade, Pol & Meier, Armando N. & Wengström, Erik, 2021. "Anticipation of COVID-19 vaccines reduces willingness to socially distance," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:8:p:3908-:d:532241. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.