Depression, anxiety and stress among medical students during COVID-19 pandemic
Autori:
Dinko Šimleša, Branka Aukst Margetić
Sažetak
Cilj: U vrijeme pandemije COVID-19 promjene u uvjetima studiranja mogu utjecati na mentalno zdravlje studenata medicine. Istraživanje ima za cilj ispitati pojavnost depresije, anksioznosti i stresa, njihovu povezanost sa sociodemografskim i akademskim karakteristikama te postojanje razlika između studenata pretkliničkih i kliničkih godina studija. Metode: Ovo presječno istraživanje provedeno je online uporabom metode snježne grude. Uključeno je 206 studenata svih godina Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, od čega je 51% pripadalo skupini pretkliničkih, a 49% skupini kliničkih godina studija. Rezultati: Istraživanje je ukazalo na prisutnost depresije u 25,7% studenata medicine, 26,7% je imalo značajne anksiozne smetnje, a 15% značajne simptome stresa. Simptomi anksioznosti i stresa bili su više izraženi u studentica. Korelacijska analiza ukazala je na obrnutu povezanost depresije, anksioznosti i stresa s prosječnim uspjehom, depresije s godinom studija, a vrijeme provedeno u učenju obrnuto je koreliralo s anksioznošću. U logističkoj regresiji su prosjek ocjena i partnerski status (biti u vezi) bili značajni prediktori depresije, prosjek ocjena, spol i konzumacija psihoaktivnih tvari značajni prediktori anksioznosti, dok su spol i konzumacija psihoaktivnih tvari bili značajni prediktori stresa. Preboljenje COVID-19 kao i cijepljenje protiv ove bolesti nije bilo povezano s depresijom, anksioznošću i stresom. Cijepljenje je bilo češće što su studenti stariji, odnosno češće u skupini kliničkih godina studija. Zaključak: U doba pandemije lošije mentalno zdravlje studenata medicine povezano je sa ženskim spolom, lošijim akademskim uspjehom, partnerskim statusom i konzumacijom psihoaktivnih tvari. Preboljenje COVID-19 kao i cijepljenje protiv COVID-19 nije bilo povezano s mentalnim zdravljem.
Summary
Aim: At the time of COVID-19 pandemic the terms of studying medicine have considerably changed, which could lead to worse mental health of medical students. The study aims to assess the presence of depression, anxiety and stress, categorised to preclinical and clinical groups of students, and their association with sociodemographic and academic characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on-line using snowball method. Two hundred and six students at the Medical School, University of Zagreb were included, of whom 51% were in the group of preclinical and 49% in the group of clinical years. Results: The study showed the presence of depression in 25.7% of medical students, 26.7% had significant symptoms of anxiety, and 15% of stress. Anxiety and stress were significantly higher in female students. Correlation analysis showed a negative association
between depression, anxiety, stress and average grades, between depression and the year of the study, and the time spent in learning correlated negatively with anxiety. In logistic regression average grades and partner status (being in a relationship) were the main predictors of depression. Average grades, gender, and consumption of psychoactive substances were significant predictors of anxiety. Gender and psychoactive substances consumption were significant predictors of stress. Overcoming COVID-19 and vaccination against it were not associated with depression, anxiety and stress. Vaccination was associated with older age and was significantly more common in the clinical years group. Conclusion: In time of the pandemic worse mental health of medical students was associated with female gender,lower academic grades, partner status, and consumption of psychoactive substances. Overcoming COVID-19 and vaccination against it were not associated with mental health.
