Emerging Symptoms of and Institutional Support for Students with Long COVID in Higher Education

Abstract

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

• Emerging Symptoms of and Institutional Support for Students with Long COVID in Higher Education
• Katherine Aquino (bio), Jane Jarrow (bio), and Lisa Vance (bio)

Since its emergence in December 2019, SARSCoV-2 and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant impact worldwide (CDC, 2022a). As of April 2023, there have been over 104 million cases of COVID-19 and more than 1.1 million deaths in the United States (CDC, 2022b). Emerging research has shown that individuals with previous SARSCoV-2 infections may experience persistent symptoms known as long COVID, which can include cardiac abnormalities, cognitive impairment, fatigue, and other issues (Crook et al., 2021). Still, the long-term risks associated with and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 are not fully clear (Taquet et al., 2022). Hastie et al. (2022) found that approximately 1 in 20 people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 had lingering symptoms associated with long COVID 6 to 18 months following the initial infection.

The COVID-19 pandemic also negatively impacted the educational sector, including higher education (NCES, 2021a). According to NCES (2022), 16% of adults “who had household members planning to take post-secondary classes in fall 2021 reported that all plans to take classes in the fall had been canceled for at least one household member” (para. 1). For those able to return to or enter higher education, many students may now come to campus with long COVID symptoms (Magee & Imad, 2022). Long COVID cases continue to increase within the higher education environment, and disability resource professionals (DRPs) warn that postsecondary institutions must better support this emerging student disability group (Redden, 2021).

Researchers have noted that students with disabilities are less likely to enroll in, persist within, and graduate from postsecondary education (Kutscher & Tuckwiller, 2018; Pingry O’Neill et al., 2012). Currently, there is a lack of research on students with long COVID in higher education, an emerging group of students with disabilities needing support and potential accommodations. Therefore, it is essential to explore how the higher education community supports this group as they enter or return to higher education with this new condition. The symptoms reported by students with long COVID can provide vital information on emerging trends related to support for this population within the higher education environment. The research questions guiding this study were: (a) What long COVID symptoms are students reporting to disability support services? and (b) According to DRPs, how have [End Page 715] institutions addressed questions related to supporting students with long COVID?

METHODS

Data for this project were collected through a survey instrument developed by the authors and disseminated primarily through the Association for Higher Education and Disability. The instrument included questions about reported cases of long COVID among college students, the perceived challenges, and strategies and recommendations for supporting students with long COVID. Prior to data collection, the authors piloted the survey content with DRP and long COVID experts to ensure the accessibility and appropriateness of the instrument.

To better establish the importance of and commitment to the exploration of long COVID in higher education, it is important to note our positionality for the reader. Although we serve in different roles—a faculty member, a DRP, and a private consultant working for more than four decades in support of students with disabilities—we all are actively committed to and advocate for individuals with disabilities, including students experiencing long COVID symptoms within the higher education environment.

This project used descriptive statistics to organize and display findings. This paper includes the responses from 140 DRPs throughout the US. Nearly half of survey participants identified as the director of their institution’s disability resource office (49.3%), with nearly two thirds (62.1%) supervising staff in their professional role. More than three quarters were White (82.9%), possessed a master’s degree (77.9%), and identified as women (77.9%). When asked about the institutional characteristics of the survey participants, over half worked in public or state-sponsored institutions (57.1%).

RESULTS

To explore the specific conditions shared by students disclosing long COVID diagnoses, DRPs identified the reported symptoms related to accommodations requests. DRPs had the opportunity to document student symptoms (Table 1). Over half of...