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Knowledge, Preventive Practices, and Depression Among Chinese University Students in Korea and China During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Cross-sectional Study


 Background: To investigate the knowledge, preventive practices, and depression of Chinese university students living in South Korea (International Group) and Mainland China (Mainland Group) regarding the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and explore the determinants of depression among these students. Methods: An online cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted both in China and South Korea from March 23 to April 12, 2020. The online questionnaire included questions on knowledge and preventive practices related to COVID-19, and PHQ-9 which was used to diagnose depression in target groups. A total of 420 Chinese university students were finally included in the study (171 students from South Korea and 249 students from mainland China). Results: Majority of these students had a good level of knowledge of COVID-19. The International Group performed better than the Mainland Group regarding preventive practices; however, the percentage of students with moderate-to-severe depression was higher among the International Group. More severe depression was related to high levels of concern about family members, about getting COVID-19, and suspecting themselves of having come into contact with patients. Meanwhile, taking preventive behaviors more comprehensively decreased the depression state of both the groups. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the depression status of students of the International Group was significantly more severe than that of the Mainland Group (χ2 = 5.50, p < 0.05). The level of depression among students in both the groups was affected by their concern regarding their family members, getting COVID-19, and whether they suspected themselves of having come into contact with patients. Therefore, psychological counseling and education programs are necessary in order to support and improve the mental health of International Group students.