The psychological impact of COVID-19 on medical students [Letter]

Ullah, Raena; Amin, Syed Suhail

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113020

Cited by 37 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…These preventive measures may have increased stress and psychological pressure on medical students as they are unable to complete their studies and are at high risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Lai et al, 2020;Li et al, 2020;Reger et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2020). Addressing potential stressors during this time is important; possible disease exposure, economic privatization, and decreased social support may carry an increased risk for suicide and decreased mental and physical performance (Chandratre, 2020;Ullah and Amin, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Today's medical students are tomorrow's doctors; therefore, their mental wellbeing is crucial. However, few studies have addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of medical students (Cao et al, 2020;Soled et al, 2020;Ullah and Amin, 2020). There is an urgent need to perform highquality research and collect data on the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health (Holmes et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Psychological Impact of the Civil War and COVID-19 on Libyan Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

et al. 2020

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Objective: We aim to determine the psychological status of medical students during the COVID-19 outbreak and civil war in Libya. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students from 15 medical schools between April 20 and May 1, 2020. The demographic characteristics, generalized anxiety disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, and patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) results were collected. Results: Of the 3,500 students, 2,430 completed the survey. The mean (± SD) score of anxiety symptoms determined by the GAD-7 was 7.2 (5.1). A total of 268 (11%) students had a GAD-7 score of ≥15, which is indicative of moderate to severe anxiety. A total of 1,568 (64.5%) students showed different degrees of anxiety: mild, 910 (37.5%); moderate, 390 (16%); and severe, 268 (11%). Anxiety was significantly associated with living status and internal displacement (P < 0.05). The mean (+ SD) score of depressive symptoms determined by the PHQ-9 was 9.7 (6.3). A total of 525 (21.6%) students had a PHQ-9 score of ≥15, which is indicative of moderate to severe depression. A total of 1,896 (88%) students were diagnosed with mild (PHQ ≥ 5) depression. Suicidal ideation was present in 552 patients (22.7%). Depression was only statistically associated with the year of study (P = 0.009). Conclusion: These data highlight that medical students in Libya are at risk for depression, especially under the current stressful environment of the civil war and the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Impact of the Civil War and COVID-19 on Libyan Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

et al. 2020

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“…Namely, the related stressors were of economic nature, affection of daily life and academic delays [42]. Though this study was criticized for non-consideration of confounding factors [43], it is undeniable that Covid-19 related measures have an impact on mental health. Social distancing and isolation are important stressors that are perceived as having a negative impact [44].…”

Section: Uncertainties and Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 90%

Preparation of students and residents of human medicine in the first four months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Implications for a second wave.

Wohlfarth

Gloor

Hautz

2020

Preprint

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Introduction: In the Covid-19 pandemic, medical students and residents find themselves in a healthcare environment with measures and policies changing by the hour. Reports regarding those in training were scarce and scattered in the early pandemic, what made an overarching insight a challenge. This review compiles and analyzes the literature addressing the preparation of students and residents in the first four months of the Covid-19 pandemic to find gaps and implications for the current pandemic as well as for future scenarios.Methods: We performed a systematic literature search and content analysis (CA) for articles available in English language that focus on the preparation of students and residents in human medicine within the first four months of the Covid-19 pandemic.Results: We retrieved 82 articles from a wide range of journals, professional backgrounds and countries. CA identified five recurring subgroup topics of «faculty preparation», «uncertainty and mental health», «clinical knowledge», «rights and obligations» and «(self-) support and supply». Within these subgroups the main concerns of «(re)deployment», «interruption of training and career», «safety issues», «transmission of disease», and «restricted social interaction» were identified as potential stressors that hold a risk for fatigue, loss of morale and burnout.Discussion: Students and residents are willing and able to participate, when provided with appropriate deployment, thorough supervision, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and valid knowledge. Faculties and policymakers should be in close contact with the youngest in training to value their concerns and intrinsic creativity on the scenario. The use of new technology for interaction and knowledge provision, interviews for voluntary deployment and the provision of mental health support seem appropriate measures to support students and residents under the current pandemic.Conclusion: Our review holds thorough implications for faculties and policymakers. Not only for surge capacity, but also for the safety and the professional identity formation of those in training, it is crucial to understand their needs and concerns. Leaders should strive for a close communication with students and residents, value their intrinsic creativeness and constantly evaluate on their needs regarding knowledge aspects, safety measures, legal concerns and well-being for the construction of nation-wide homogenous policies.

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“…The notion of having significantly higher mood disorders, anxiety disorders, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress among medical students to that of other postsecondary graduates has already been proved in a Canadian cross-sectional survey (Maser, Danilewitz, Guérin, Findlay, & Frank, 2019). Moreover, recent studies conducted among the medical students in their clinical years clearly stated the considerable ambivalence between the concerning threat of this virus and their overwhelming sense of duty and desire to contribute to the health services (James, 2020;Samuthpongtorn & Pongpirul, 2020;Ullah & Amin, 2020). Cumulatively, along with other existential stressors, this conflict can trigger psychological trauma of medical students who are already predisposed to a stressful lifestyle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Immediate psychological responses during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic among Bangladeshi medical students

Hasan¹,

Hossain²,

Safa³

2020

Preprint

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Background: The most recent global pandemic of COVID-19 has been creating multidimensional damages, including a detrimental impact on the mental health status of individuals. Medical students, a vulnerable cross-section of the population, may have perceived a myriad of psychological stressors during this crisis in the background of their prevailing stressful academic pressure and preexisting higher psychological and mental health issue.Objective: To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and to elucidate the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Bangladeshi medical students.Method: A cross-sectional study design was utilized to conduct this survey. The online survey including demographic questions, COVID-19 related questions, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; higher scores on the subscales indicate higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms), was completed by 425 Bangladeshi medical students. Collected data were statistically analyzed by using SPSS (version 25.0) software.Result: The HADS anxiety subscale revealed that 65.9% of the medical students had different levels of anxiety, ranging from mild (27.3%), moderate (26.8%), and severe (11.8%). As per HADS depression subscale, 49.9% of the medical students had varying degrees of depressive symptoms, with 3.3% of the participants had suffered from severely severe depressive symptoms. Female students had a relatively more anxiety and depressive symptoms, when compared with males. The students, who were severely tensed of getting infected by the virus, were at higher risk of suffering from anxiety (3.5-fold) and depressive (2.7-fold) symptoms, when compared with no/minimally stressed students. Besides, fear of getting assaulted or humiliated on the way to hospital or home, not to be able to give maximum concentration on study after COVID-19 pandemic, students’ present emotional status (agitation), had statistically significant higher risk of anxiety.Conclusion: A substantial proportion of Bangladeshi medical students are experiencing pandemic-related adverse psychological impact. The poor mental health conditions of these vulnerable medical students pose important threat to their potential contribution in future health care. Thus, medical colleges and health authorities should focus on addressing their psychological needs and formulate effective strategies to ameliorate medical students’ mental health status, particularly during any infectious disease outbreak.

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The psychological impact of COVID-19 on medical students [Letter]

Cited by 37 publications

References 4 publications

Psychological Impact of the Civil War and COVID-19 on Libyan Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Psychological Impact of the Civil War and COVID-19 on Libyan Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Preparation of students and residents of human medicine in the first four months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Implications for a second wave.

Immediate psychological responses during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic among Bangladeshi medical students

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