Schiff, MiriamZasiekina, LarysaPat-Horenczyk, RuthBenbenishty, Rami2024-06-242024-06-242021-08Journal of Community Health Volume 46, Issue 4, Pages 667 - 675 August 20210094-5145https://repositorio.unab.cl/handle/ria/57940Indexación: Scopus.The COVID-19 pandemic has created a sense of threat, and stress that has surged globally at an alarming pace. University students were confronted with new challenges. This study examined university students’ functional difficulties and concerns during COVID-19 pandemic in two countries: Israel and Ukraine. Additionally, it examined the similarities and differences in prediction of COVID-related concerns in both countries. Two large samples of university students were drawn from both countries. Results showed that students’ main functional difficulties in both countries were: worries about their family health status and their learning assignments. In both countries, COVID-related functional difficulties and stress associated with exposure to the media added a significant amount of the explained variance of COVID-related concerns after controlling for background variables. In conclusion—while the level of exposure and difficulties may differ by country and context, their associations with students’ concerns seem robust. Additionally, repeated exposure to media coverage about a community threat can lead to increased anxiety.en-USComparative studiesCOVID-19COVID-related concernsFunctional difficultiesMedia exposureUniversity studentsArtículo