COVID-19 anxiety among undergraduate students of a medical college in Chengalpattu district – A cross-sectional study (original) (raw)

2023, Asian Journal of Medical Sciences

Background: COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndromes-CoV-2, a virus that affects the physical as well as mental health of people. Aims and Objectives: Our study was conducted to estimate the COVID-19 anxiety prevalence and its associated sociodemographic factors in a medical college. Materials and Methods: Undergraduate medical students of a medical college in Chengalpattu district were the study participants, with inclusion criteria of students above 18 years of age from 2 nd , 3 rd , and final year and interns being included for the study. Using simple random sampling, students were selected with a sample size of 197. After obtaining approval from the Institutional Human Ethics Committee and informed consent, data were collected using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire, with anxiety being assessed using coronavirus anxiety scale and data analyzed using SPSS version 21. The statistical tests used were proportions, Chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Among the 197 students, males constituted 82 (41.6%) and females 115 (58.4%), of which 60 (73.1%) of males and 88 (76.5%) of females had COVID-19 anxiety. Overall 75.1% had COVID-19 anxiety. Based on the year of study, 43 (22%) 2 nd-year students and 38 (19.3%) 3 rd-year students, 29 (14.8%) final-year students, and 38 (19.3%) inters had COVID-19 anxiety. Sociodemographic factors such as the type of family, year of study, and staying with parents had a strong association with COVID-19 anxiety. Conclusion: In our study, 75.1% experience Coronavirus related anxiety, and thus, there is need for focus on the mental well-being of undergraduate students requiring attention as well as support from college administration, family, and society to cope up with the pandemic situation.