Mental health and online learning among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a Saudi national study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumayah AlJhani ◽  
Deemah Alateeq ◽  
Afnan Alwabili ◽  
Ahmad Alamro

Purpose The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has multiple consequences, including social distancing and the shift of education from in-person to online learning, which may have a psychological impact on students, especially those in medical colleges. This study aims to explore the effect of online learning on medical students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic across Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive, nationwide, cross-sectional survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, after students in medical colleges moved to online learning. It included socio-demographic characteristics, online learning-related questions, perceived stress scale and generalized anxiety disorder-7. Findings The participants represented various academic levels within the basic science phase (44.9%) and clinical phase (55.1%) and various regions, including the central (55.3%), western (18.8%), northern (13.4%), southern (8.8%) and eastern (3.7%) regions. Moderate to high perceived stress was reported by 94.4% of students. Two-thirds of the students reported generalized anxiety symptoms, ranging from moderate to severe in 47% of them. A significant positive correlation was found between stress and anxiety. Women, age > 25, first-year students, students facing oral and objective structured clinical examinations, students with excellent and pass grades and those facing difficulties had higher levels of stress and anxiety. In addition, being non-Saudi, married or having a history of psychiatric illness was associated with higher levels of anxiety. Originality/value Stress and anxiety were highly expressed among participants using online learning. In addition to studying the efficacy of online learning, it is important to focus on its effect on medical students’ mental health, due to the highly competitive and demanding environment of medical colleges.

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Durand-Hill ◽  
D I Ike ◽  
A N Nijhawan ◽  
A B Shah ◽  
A Dawson ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction During the COVID pandemic, the 2019-2020 cohort of final year students were invited to participate in Foundation interim Year 1 placements (FiY1). FiY1 aimed to ease transition to Foundation Year 1 doctor (FY1). We assessed the psychological impact of FiY1 on final year medical students. Method A cross-sectional survey was distributed to final year medical students in the UK between June 4th and July 4th, 2020. The survey contained the following domains: participant demographics, rationale for FiY1 participation, a checklist of the key safety principles for FiY1s, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress scale-4. Results 107 final years responded to the survey. 72.0% (n = 77) of final year students surveyed were working as FiY1s. Final year students participating in FiY1 postings had reduced rates of anxiety (29.9% vs 43.4%, P = 0.186), depression (5.2% vs 20.0%, P = 0.018) and lower perceived stress levels (5.0 vs 7.2, P < 0.001). 19.5% (15/77) FiY1s reported working beyond their competency, 27.3% (22/77) felt unsupervised, but 94.8% (73/77) of FiY1s felt the post prepared them for FY1. Conclusions Students participating in FiY1 postings felt less stressed and depressed than those not participating in the scheme and the majority felt it was preparing them for FY1.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 2333-2336
Author(s):  
Anum Arif ◽  
Minahil Iram ◽  
Sabih Nofal ◽  
Aima Sohail ◽  
Bismah Riaz ◽  
...  

Aim: To assess prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Stress in medical students, interns, and residents in Pakistan Study design: Cross-sectional Survey (Questionnaire) based study. Place and duration of study: This study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital Lahore Medical College from March 2020 to May 2020. Results: 104 participants were included in the study. There was female predominance 58(55.8%), and the mean age was 23.55±1.42. The overall mean score of depression and anxiety was 21.2±12.67 and 15.7±10.67 respectively and most prevalent in third and fourth-year residents. The mean stress score was 13.7, 10. 27. Twenty-eight (26.9%) of the overall participants had extremely severe depression, 36 (34.6 %) had extremely severe anxiety and 13(12.5%) had severe stress. Doctors studying and practicing in the private sector have a higher DASS21 score (p = < 0.006) Conclusion: Multiple factors have been found to contribute to the poor mental health of health care workers, including financial trouble, sleep deprivation, abuse from colleagues, high expectations, female gender, broken relationships, and substance misuse. Keywords: Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Medical, Mental Health Problem Solving, Psychological Distress,


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika McGivern ◽  
Stephen Shannon ◽  
Gavin Breslin

Purpose This paper aims to conduct the first cross-sectional survey on depression, Resilience, well-being, depression symptoms and concussion levels in equestrian athletes and to assess whether past concussion rates were associated with depression, resilience and well-being. Design/methodology/approach In total, 511 participants from Canada, Republic of Ireland, UK, Australia and USA took part in an international cross-sectional, online survey evaluating concussion history, depression symptoms, resilience and well-being. Findings In total, 27.1% of athletes met clinically relevant symptoms of major depressive disorder. Significant differences were shown in the well-being and resilience scores between countries. Significant relationships were observed between reported history of concussion and both high depression scores and low well-being scores. Practical implications Findings highlight the need for mental health promotion and support in equestrian sport. Social implications Results support previous research suggesting a need for enhanced mental health support for equestrians. There is reason to believe that mental illness could still be present in riders with normal levels of resilience and well-being. Originality/value This study examined an understudied athlete group: equestrian athletes and presents important findings with implications for the physical and mental health of this population.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshito Nishimura ◽  
Kanako Ochi ◽  
Kazuki Tokumasu ◽  
Mikako Obika ◽  
Hideharu Hagiya ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected medical education. However, little data are available about medical students’ distress during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to provide details on how medical students have been affected by the pandemic. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 717 medical students participated in the web-based survey. The survey included questions about how the participants’ mental status had changed from before to after the Japanese nationwide state of emergency (SOE). RESULTS Out of 717 medical students, 473 (66.0%) participated in the study. In total, 29.8% (141/473) of the students reported concerns about the shift toward online education, mostly because they thought online education would be ineffective compared with in-person learning. The participants’ subjective mental health status significantly worsened after the SOE was lifted (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Those who had concerns about a shift toward online education had higher odds of having generalized anxiety and being depressed (odds ratio [OR] 1.97, 95% CI 1.19-3.28) as did those who said they would request food aid (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.16-3.44) and mental health care resources (OR 3.56, 95% CI 2.07-6.15). CONCLUSIONS Given our findings, the sudden shift to online education might have overwhelmed medical students. Thus, we recommend that educators inform learners that online learning is not inferior to in-person learning, which could attenuate potential depression and anxiety.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 2215-2218
Author(s):  
Anum Arif ◽  
Minahil Iram ◽  
Sabih Nofal ◽  
Aima Sohail ◽  
Bismah Riaz ◽  
...  

Aim: To assess prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress in medical students, interns and residents in Pakistan Study design: Cross-sectional Survey (Questionnaire) based study. Place and duration of study: This study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital Lahore Medical College from March 2020 to May 2020. Results: 104 participants were included in the study. There was female predominance 58(55.8%), and the mean age was 23.55±1.42. The overall mean score of depression and anxiety was 21.2±12.67 and 15.7±10.67 respectively and most prevalent in third and fourth-year residents. The mean stress score was 13.7, 10. 27. Twenty-eight (26.9%) of the overall participants had extremely severe depression, 36 (34.6 %) had extremely severe anxiety and 13(12.5%) had severe stress. Conclusion: Multiple factors have been found to contribute to the poor mental health of health care workers, including financial trouble, sleep deprivation, abuse from colleagues, high expectations, female gender, broken relationships, and substance misuse. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in common in medical students. This calls for the development of strategies, workshops, and programs to identify modifiable stressors, encourage students to reach out to their family members and their teachers to verbalize their issues, and make psychiatric consultation accessible to them. Keywords: Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Medical, Mental Health Problem Solving, Psychological Distress,


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Mayowa Nwaogu ◽  
Albert P.C. Chan ◽  
Mershack Opoku Tetteh

Purpose Construction tradesmen are exposed to high levels of stress that can worsen mental health, negatively impacting safety compliance and organization productivity. Hence, effectively coping with stress to prevent mental ill-health becomes an essential point of reference. Thus, this study aims to examine the role of factors such as resilience and coping strategies in protecting tradesmen against mental ill-health. Design/methodology/approach Using a cross-sectional survey design, 110 tradesmen from 65 construction companies were surveyed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Brief Resilience Scale and Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Findings The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. With a 74.5%, 36.4% and 14.6% prevalence rate of self-reported depression, anxiety and suicide ideation among the tradesmen, only positive reappraisal, accepting responsibility coping behaviors and resilience would mitigate the likelihood of developing mental ill-health symptoms. Originality/value This study has extended existing literature by providing information vital to building interventions to deal with stressors effectively. This information would benefit individuals, organizations and the economy and equip policymakers with a deeper knowledge base toward improving mental health.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Khan ◽  
Ali Bin Abdul Jabbar ◽  
Daniyal Ali Khan ◽  
Muhammad Abdullah Javed ◽  
Mohummad Hassan Raza Raja ◽  
...  

Background: Live lectures are commonly used in medical education, yet many students prefer video lectures instead. As different learning modalities may affect knowledge, it was necessary to explore medical students' perspectives about the two learning modalities in Pakistan. Objectives: This study aimed to explore and compare the medical students' perspectives regarding live lectures and video lectures. Methods: This cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire. This was distributed to medical students via internet platforms after institutional approval. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 23 using descriptive statistics. Results: 585 students, from 11 medical colleges across six cities of Pakistan, were enrolled. 64.4% (n=377) of the students were females, while 34.0% (n=199) were males. The first years comprised 32.7% (n=191), second years, 29.2% (n=171), and third years, 38.1% (n=223) of the total. The commonest reason for attending live lectures was 'they are compulsory'. The commonest reason for not attending was 'poor teaching quality'. 5.0% (n=29) of 585 students reported live lectures and 51.8% (n=290 of 560) found video lectures to be 'very helpful' in concept clarification. 85.1% (n=258) of 303 students found video lectures more effective for learning. For 45.4% (n=254) of students, video lectures improved their grades a lot; more students used video lectures for exam preparation over the years. 50.6% (n=296) of students wanted video lectures to be compulsory, compared with 28.5% (n=167) for live lectures. The main improvement in live lectures was not using slides. Conclusion: Medical students in Pakistan prefer video lectures over live lectures for learning and exam preparation. More students wanted video lectures to be compulsory in medical education. Several improvements have been suggested for live lectures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-91
Author(s):  
Kani Yamuna Aminu ◽  
Usman Ahmad ◽  
Rehinat Nasir Adejumo

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of academics on the acceptability of the intercalated medical degree program in an attempt to proffer solutions to breach the gaps in manpower shortages in the medical profession.Methodology: This is a descriptive cross sectional survey. Randomly selected 150 academic staff of various medical colleges spread across Nigeria, who attended an educational programme in Abuja Nigeria in September 2018 completed semi structured questionnaires after consenting to participate in the study. Data from the retrieved questionnaires were collated, entered into Microsoft excel and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Most of the analyzed data were represented in percentages for ease of comparison.Findings: Sixty five percent of the respondents were aware of the intercalated (dual) Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)/ Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree programme, offer it in their institutions and believe it is worthwhile. The merits of the dual degree programme from this study were an additional degree, more experienced medical doctors in terms of research and exit strategy for some medical students who may change their minds half way into the medical programme. The disadvantages reported were prolonged study period and increased cost of study.  Majority of the respondents, who were academic staff of medical colleges were aware of, and favoured the establishment of intercalated MBBS degree programme in more Nigerian medical colleges.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: There is scarcity of literature on the intercalated degree programme in Nigeria. This research may influence policy change that will improve medical education. From the results of the study, it is recommended that the stakeholders in medical education should consider giving accreditation to more medical colleges that have the capacity to commence intercalated medical degree programs in Nigerian Universities as an option to interested medical students with good potentials.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Pan ◽  
Ying Xiao ◽  
Ding Ren ◽  
Zhengmei Xu ◽  
Qian Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background China has been severely affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) since December 2019.In the combat against COVID-19, military health workers in China suffered from many pressures. This study aimed to investigate the current psychological status and risk factors of the military health workers.Methods Using a web-based cross-sectional survey, we collected data from 194 military health workers from three inpatient wards in two COVID-19 specialized hospitals. The survey questions consisted of demographic information, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15). Hierarchical regression analysis was used to explore potential risk factors for mental health problem.Results The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety and somatic symptoms were37.6%, 32.5% and 50%, respectively. Severe depression, generalized anxiety and somatic symptoms was 5.2%, 3.6% and 15.5%. In 22.7% of cases, comorbidities existed between depression, generalized anxiety and somatization. Junior-grade professional title was associated with depression, older age was associated with generalized anxiety and somatization, and less sleep duration and poor sleep quality were associated with all three symptoms.Conclusion The prevalence of depression, generalized anxiety and somatic symptoms were high in military health workers of COVID-19 specialized hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak. Junior-grade professional title, older age, less sleep duration, and poor sleep quality have significant effects on the mental health of military health workers. Continuous surveillance and monitoring of the psychological consequences of the COVID-19outbreak should become routine to promote the mental health of military health workers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Laurent ◽  
Alicia Fournier ◽  
Florent Lheureux ◽  
Guillaume Louis ◽  
Saad Nseir ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on mental health of professionals working in the intensive care unit (ICU) according to the intensity of the epidemic in France. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 77 French hospitals from April 22 to May 13 2020. All ICU frontline healthcare workers were eligible. The primary endpoint was the mental health, assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Sources of stress during the crisis were assessed using the Perceived Stressors in Intensive Care Units (PS-ICU) scale. Epidemic intensity was defined as high or low for each region based on publicly available data from Santé Publique France. Effects were assessed using linear mixed models, moderation and mediation analyses. Results In total, 2643 health professionals participated; 64.36% in high-intensity zones. Professionals in areas with greater epidemic intensity were at higher risk of mental health issues (p < 0.001), and higher levels of overall perceived stress (p < 0.001), compared to low-intensity zones. Factors associated with higher overall perceived stress were female sex (B = 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.08–0.17), having a relative at risk of COVID-19 (B = 0.14; 95%-CI = 0.09–0.18) and working in high-intensity zones (B = 0.11; 95%-CI = 0.02–0.20). Perceived stress mediated the impact of the crisis context on mental health (B = 0.23, 95%-CI = 0.05, 0.41) and the impact of stress on mental health was moderated by positive thinking, b = − 0.32, 95% CI = − 0.54, − 0.11. Conclusion COVID-19 negatively impacted the mental health of ICU professionals. Professionals working in zones where the epidemic was of high intensity were significantly more affected, with higher levels of perceived stress. This study is supported by a grant from the French Ministry of Health (PHRC-COVID 2020).


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