The hidden cost of illness: exploring the relationship between seasonal respiratory illness, self-efficacy, and academic achievement of undergraduate science students

Abstract Background Seasonal respiratory illnesses (SRIs), including COVID-19, have significantly disrupted university students' academic experiences. This study examines the impact of SRIs on key academic factors such as attendance, self-efficacy, and academic performance, alongside the effectiveness of preventative behaviours like handwashing and mask-wearing. Methods Undergraduate students were surveyed during the Winter 2023 Semester. The survey collected data on SRIs, self-efficacy (using the General Academic Self-Efficacy scale), perceived attendance, and academic performance. SRI scores were derived from illness frequency, duration, and severity. Analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple linear regression. Results Among participants, 84.5% reported experiencing SRIs, with an average of 3.8 occurrences lasting a total of 22 days. Regular handwashing correlated with lower SRI scores (β = -1.87, p = 0.05), while mask-wearing unexpectedly correlated with higher SRI scores (β = +1.79, p = 0.02). Higher SRI scores were significantly linked to lower self-efficacy (p = 0.0011) and academic performance (p < 0.0001). Conclusions SRIs notably affect students' academic outcomes, likely through their impact on self-efficacy, while a diminished role for attendance on academic achievement may reflect the post-pandemic shift in instructional strategies towards online access. The unexpected link between mask-wearing and higher SRI scores suggests a need for further research on specific factors relating to the efficacy of masks in university environments. Overall findings suggest that supporting students' psychological resilience and promoting regular handwashing are critical for reducing SRIs' significant impact on academic success.