Mental health issues among medical students: Exploring predictors of mental health in Dhaka during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background Mental health has always been under the shadow of everyone's belief about their health. Concerns about mental health have already risen in the whole world. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc worldwide, notably in the educational system. It has been difficult to quantify the influence of COVID-19 on the mental health of medical students in Bangladesh. Aims This study was conducted to assess medical students’ mental health status in Dhaka during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study was undertaken at Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh and 359 medical students were the primary respondents for this study. Results Depression, anxiety and stress were found in around half of the study participants. Overall, three-fourth of the medical students had poor mental health status. The research study showed that depression, anxiety and stress were dependent on various socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of medical students. Conclusion Poor mental health is still highly prevalent in the medical students. Different factors like age, gender, academic year, and physical exercise behavior have affected medical students' mental health. This calls for attention towards the needs of the more vulnerable demographics and creating a welcoming environment for medical students.