COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of STEM vs. non-STEM college students in Central Appalachia in 2021, a student-led project

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has provided the general public with an understanding of scientific processes and health systems surrounding vaccination in real-time. This report assesses responses of college students in a regional university to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors (KAB) survey in the spring of 2021. Methods: Participants were categorized based on study major: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), non-STEM, or health science disciplines. Chi-square tests were used to compare vaccination beliefs between groups. Results: 632 respondents were included in the final analysis. STEM students were the least likely to agree that vaccinated individuals should not need masks (21%) compared to non-STEM (42%) and health science majors (37%). 51%, 45%, and 35% of STEM, non-STEM, and health science students were vaccinated respectively. No statistically significant differences were noted between groups. Conclusions: Vaccine hesitancy was similar in all students. Area of study did not impact vaccine behaviors.