Assessing the Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 in Undergraduate Medical Students
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Population and Sample
2.2. Rating Instruments
2.2.1. Demographic Characteristics
2.2.2. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4)
2.2.3. Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7)
2.2.4. Unique Stressors during the COVID-19 Pandemic
2.2.5. Perceptions of Stress and Anxiety
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Sample Characteristics
3.2. Anxiety in Undergraduate Medical Students
3.3. Stress in Undergraduate Medical Students
3.4. Predictors of Stress and Anxiety
3.5. Effects of Preexisting Mental Health on Stress and Anxiety
3.6. Perceptions of Stress and Anxiety
4. Discussion
4.1. Predictors of Anxiety and Stress
4.2. Unique Stressors to Each Class
4.3. The Effect of Preexisting Mental Health Conditions on Anxiety and Stress Levels during the COVID-19 Pandemic
4.4. Study Limitations and Future Research
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristics | 852 (100%) |
---|---|
Year in School | |
First Year | 210 (24.65) |
Second Year | 286 (33.57) |
Third Year | 180 (21.13) |
Fourth Year | 176 (20.66) |
Race | |
Black/African American | 42 (4.93) |
American Indian or Alaska Native | 1 (0.12) |
Asian | 119 (13.97) |
Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin | 40 (4.69) |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 1 (0.12) |
White | 576 (67.61) |
Multiracial | 60 (7.04) |
Others | 13 (1.53) |
Anxiety Level | First Year | Second Year | Third Year | Fourth Year | Overall |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Normal | 70 (33.33) | 93 (32.52) | 55 (30.56) | 71 (40.34) | 289 (33.92) |
Mild | 90 (42.86) | 101 (35.31) | 55 (30.56) | 52 (29.55) | 298 (34.98) |
Moderate | 31 (14.76) | 57 (19.93) | 43 (23.89) | 33 (18.75) | 164 (19.25) |
Severe | 19 (9.05) | 35 (12.24) | 27 (15.00) | 20 (11.36) | 101 (11.85) |
Stressors | First Year | Second Year | Third Year | Fourth Year | Overall |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Academic | |||||
Quality of Clinical Educational Experiences | 5.2 ± 3.2 | 5.7 ± 3.0 | 6.3 ± 2.7 | 6.1 ± 2.6 | 5.8 ± 2.9 |
Remote Learning | 5.8 ± 2.9 | 6.0 ± 2.7 | 5.4 ± 2.7 | 5.1 ± 2.7 | 5.6 ± 2.8 |
Delay and Availability of Standardized Exams | 2.8 ± 3.1 | 3.6 ± 3.5 | 7.4 ± 3.2 | 7.2 ± 2.9 | 4.9 ± 3.8 |
Impact on Rotations and Residency | 2.3 ± 3.1 | 2.5 ± 3.3 | 5.0 ± 3.6 | 7.8 ± 2.9 | 4.1 ± 3.9 |
Health | |||||
Becoming Ill | 6.2 ± 2.7 | 6.4 ± 2.5 | 6.5 ± 2.6 | 6.3 ± 2.6 | 6.3 ± 2.6 |
Death and Disability | 3.6 ± 3.0 | 3.9 ± 3.1 | 4.1 ± 2.9 | 3.8 ± 3.0 | 3.9 ± 3.0 |
Personal Protective Equipment Availability | 4.3 ± 2.7 | 4.4 ± 2.8 | 4.9 ± 2.6 | 4.9 ± 2.9 | 4.6 ± 2.7 |
Social | |||||
Impact on Daily Life | 6.2 ± 2.3 | 6.2 ± 2.4 | 6.6 ± 2.3 | 6.2 ± 2.4 | 6.3 ± 2.4 |
Social Distancing Practices of Others | 6.3 ± 2.5 | 6.5 ± 2.6 | 6.2 ± 2.5 | 5.9 ± 2.9 | 6.3 ± 2.6 |
Trust in Government Institutions | 6.7 ± 2.6 | 7.0 ± 2.7 | 6.8 ± 2.8 | 6.9 ± 2.7 | 6.8 ± 2.7 |
Variable | Mental Health Diagnosis | Number of Students | Mean | Standard Deviation | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PSS-4 Scores | Yes | 227 | 8.08 | 3.00 | <0.001 |
No | 599 | 6.86 | 2.99 | ||
Prefer Not to Say | 26 | 8.88 | 2.88 | ||
GAD-7 Scores | Yes | 227 | 9.29 | 5.32 | <0.001 |
No | 599 | 6.72 | 5.07 | ||
Prefer Not to Say | 26 | 8.65 | 5.32 | ||
Percentage of Stress Due to COVID-19 | Yes | 227 | 54.33% | 21.45% | <0.05 |
No | 599 | 49.35% | 24.23% | ||
Prefer Not to Say | 26 | 53.15% | 21.03% |
Variable | Stress Compared to Other Students (before COVID) | Anxiety Compared to Other Students (before COVID) | Changes in Anxiety Levels Since March 2020 | Changes in Stress Levels Since March 2020 | PSS-4 | GAD-7 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stress Compared to Other Students (Before COVID) | - | 0.715 | 0.405 | 0.327 | 0.492 | 0.572 |
Anxiety Compared to Other Students (Before COVID) | 0.715 | - | 0.351 | 0.415 | 0.496 | 0.532 |
Changes in Stress Levels Since March 2020 | 0.405 | 0.351 | - | 0.751 | 0.551 | 0.570 |
Changes in Anxiety Levels Since March 2020 | 0.327 | 0.415 | 0.751 | - | 0.553 | 0.516 |
PSS-4 | 0.492 | 0.496 | 0.551 | 0.553 | - | 0.715 |
GAD-7 | 0.572 | 0.532 | 0.570 | 0.516 | 0.715 | - |
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Guo, A.A.; Crum, M.A.; Fowler, L.A. Assessing the Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 in Undergraduate Medical Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2952. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062952
Guo AA, Crum MA, Fowler LA. Assessing the Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 in Undergraduate Medical Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(6):2952. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062952
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuo, Alyssa A., Marissa A. Crum, and Lauren A. Fowler. 2021. "Assessing the Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 in Undergraduate Medical Students" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 6: 2952. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062952