1
|
Rayan-Gharra N, Malatskey L, Ofir-Gutler M, Sakhnini R, Yousef A, Khatib M, Skorecki K, Spitzer S. Assisting primary care teams and patients in a culturally diverse periphery: impact on medical students' future career choices. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 24:288. [PMID: 38486173 PMCID: PMC10941400 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05272-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medical students can assist in reducing healthcare disparities and promote health equity by engaging with rural communities and gaining insights into their unique healthcare needs. A two-arm student-delivered program was designed and implemented during COVID-19 in a social-geographic peripheral area to assist clinics with complex chronic and/or socially disadvantaged patients and improve preventive behavior in townships through home visits delivering community kits. METHODS We conducted a pre-post design study which included weekly structured medical student reports and monthly structured telephone interviews with clinic directors and municipal partners. Students completed pre-post program survey on their knowledge, skills, and capabilities to address chronic patients from diverse cultural backgrounds (n = 73). The Wilcoxon-Signed-Rank test for related samples was used to determine differences. RESULTS Following the program, the knowledge and awareness levels of students about working in the community (P < 0.001) and their knowledge of common chronic diseases were significantly improved (Mean Difference (MD) = 0.31; p < 0.001). The program significantly increased students' interest to integrate into community care alongside a hospital (P = 0.012). Thematic analysis of student reports revealed improved insight into the role of primary care. Clinic directors (90%) were highly satisfied and reported that students became an integral part of the clinics' teams. CONCLUSIONS Integrating medical students into the community through primary-care clinics and home visits in diverse communities, exposed students to the interwoven effect of clinical and social determinants on health and improve their knowledge of common chronic diseases. Participation in the program encouraged students to consider a career in community care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nosaiba Rayan-Gharra
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Zefat, Israel.
- The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | | | | | - Rizan Sakhnini
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Zefat, Israel
- Maccabi Health Services, Northern District, Haifa, Israel
| | - Awni Yousef
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Zefat, Israel
- Clalit Health Services, Northern District, Nazareth, Israel
| | - Mohammad Khatib
- The Galilee Society - The Arab National Society for Health Research and Services, Shefa-Amr, Israel
- Zefat Academic College, Zefat, Israel
| | - Karl Skorecki
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Zefat, Israel
| | - Sivan Spitzer
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Zefat, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Büssing A, Zupanic M, Ehlers JP, Taetz-Harrer A. Mental Stress in Medical Students during the Pandemic and Their Relation to Digital and Hybrid Semester-Cross-Sectional Data from Three Recruitment Waves in Germany. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11098. [PMID: 36078813 PMCID: PMC9518079 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191711098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students had to interrupt their regular studies, and universities changed their teaching formats. The aim of this study was to analyze medical students' stress perception, wellbeing, life and work satisfaction, and cool down reactions, and to compare the survey data of online and hybrid semesters with pre-pandemic education formats in-person. METHODS Cross-sectional surveys at three time points enrolling 1061 medical students (58% women; 24.4 ± 3.4 years); 30.8% from pre-pandemic formats in-person, 22.8% from pandemic online semesters, and 46.1% from pandemic hybrid semesters. RESULTS Both students' stress perception and psychological wellbeing decreased during the pandemic semesters. Their satisfaction with the university support was at its lowest during the hybrid semesters. Regression analyses indicated that students' stress perception can be explained only to some extent by their general dissatisfaction with their medical studies or teaching formats. CONCLUSIONS The lockdowns affected students in more ways than simply their teaching formats. Students require individual support to adjust to difficult situations, and particularly medical students in their preclinical phase compared to students in their clinical phases. These are challenges for the medical education system, which must find ways to be prepared for future times of crisis and insecurity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arndt Büssing
- Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, 58313 Herdecke, Germany
| | - Michaela Zupanic
- Interprofessional and Collaborative Didactics in Medical and Health Professions, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten, Germany
| | - Jan P. Ehlers
- Didactics and Educational Research in Health Care, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten, Germany
| | - Angelika Taetz-Harrer
- Didactics and Educational Research in Health Care, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten, Germany
- Office of Student Affairs in Human Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hollingsworth JC, Redden DT. Tiny Habits® for Gratitude-Implications for Healthcare Education Stakeholders. Front Public Health 2022; 10:866992. [PMID: 35651860 PMCID: PMC9149079 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.866992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to diminished sleep and increased stress, anxiety, and burnout for many health professionals and health professions students. One simple approach that may be effective for bolstering personal well-being is consciously cultivating gratitude. Gratitude is positively associated with physical health, psychological health, hope, sleep, and health behavior engagement; and randomized studies indicate that gratitude interventions can improve psychological well-being and sleep. The primary aim of this study was to assess the impact of practicing Tiny Habits® on self-reported gratitude, as measured by the 6-Item Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6). In January 2021, 154 adult participants with GQ-6 <35/42 were randomized to one of 3 groups: Tiny Habits for Gratitude (n = 50), Tiny Habits Control (n = 52), and Inactive Control (n = 52). Both Tiny Habits groups chose 3 Tiny Habits Recipes to practice daily and participated in the free, email-based 5-Day Program with automated daily check-in emails and personalized feedback from a Certified Tiny Habits Coach. The Recipes for the Tiny Habits for Gratitude group focused on cultivating gratitude, while those for the Tiny Habits Control group did not. Post-intervention, the mean change in GQ-6 scores in the Tiny Habits for Gratitude (Δ = ↑6.9 ± 5.6; n = 37/50, 74%; p< 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.85) and Tiny Habits Control (Δ = ↑5.6 ± 4.1; n = 31/52, 60%; p = 0.009, Cohen's d = 0.71) groups were greater than that of the Inactive Control group (Δ = ↑2.5 ± 4.4; N = 42/52, 81%). At 1 month, the mean change in GQ-6 scores in the Tiny Habits for Gratitude group (Δ = ↑7.0 ± 5.3; N = 28/50, 56%) was greater than that of the Inactive Control group (Δ = ↑2.9 ± 5.4; N = 39/52, 72%; p = 0.002, Cohen's d = 0.78). These findings suggest that practicing Tiny Habits Recipes and participating in the 5-Day Program can significantly increase gratitude in the short term and focusing specifically on gratitude during this process can sustain the increase in gratitude for up to 1 month. Implementation is quick, simple, and free. This has significant implications for healthcare education stakeholders.
Collapse
|
4
|
Broman P, Tokolahi E, Wilson OWA, Haggie M, Andersen P, Brownie S. Patient Outcomes from Student-Run Health Services: An Integrative Review. J Multidiscip Healthc 2022; 15:641-665. [PMID: 35387392 PMCID: PMC8979421 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s348411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Conclusion
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Broman
- Centre for Health and Social Practice, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand
- Correspondence: Patrick Broman, Waikato Institute of Technology, Tristram Street, Hamilton, New Zealand, Tel +64 272070249, Email
| | - Ema Tokolahi
- Centre for Health and Social Practice, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand
- School of Occupational Therapy, Otago Polytechnic, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Oliver W A Wilson
- Centre for Health and Social Practice, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand
- Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Marrin Haggie
- Centre for Sport Science and Human Performance, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Patrea Andersen
- Centre for Health and Social Practice, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Science, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Sharon Brownie
- Centre for Health and Social Practice, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, New Zealand
- School of Nursing, Midwifery & Public Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- School of Medicine & Dentistry, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Büssing A, Lindeberg A, Stock-Schröer B, Martin D, Scheffer C, Bachmann HS. Motivations and Experiences of Volunteering Medical Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic-Results of a Survey in Germany. Front Psychiatry 2022; 12:768341. [PMID: 35058817 PMCID: PMC8764378 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.768341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: During the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, several medical students volunteered as assistants in hospitals, public health departments, and other healthcare services to support and substitute permanent staff. The underlying motivations to help are unclear. Therefore, we aimed to assess medical students' motivations and influencing variables such as perceived stress and burden, compassion, and indicators of spirituality. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional survey (convenience sample) from May to June 2020, directly after the first lockdown, among medical students with standardized instruments. One of them is the 12-item Motivations to Help Scale (MtHS) which was designed to fit to the population of medical students. Results: Among the 731 completers, 52% were working as volunteers during the pandemic in different medical areas, most in hospitals and only a few in other areas (9% in public health departments, 6% in outpatient services), 37% would have liked to work but did not get an appropriate employment, and 21% did not intend to voluntarily support the hospital staff. Their mental burden during work was rather low, while they were somewhat affected by the personal fate of the patients. With respect to their motivations to volunteer as measured with the MtHS, Altruistic Intentions/Helping (Cronbach's alpha = 0.898) scored highest, followed by Practical Application/Learning (Cronbach's alpha = 0.808), while Role Testing/Recognition (Cronbach's alpha = 0.702) scored lowest. Those who volunteered had significantly higher scores for Altruistic Intentions/Helping and Practical Application/Learning, while the different phases of medical study (preclinical phase, clinical phase, and higher semester) had no influence on the extent of the students' motivation. The motivations to help were not at all or only marginally (inversely) related to indicators of stress and burden, while Altruistic Intentions/Helping was weakly related to affections by patients' fate. Conclusions: Medical students' intention to support healthcare professionals as supplementary assistants were both prosocial and proself motivated. With this opportunity to practically apply their current knowledge and to improve their skills and competences, volunteering students might be more motivated for their further studies and their future career as compassionate medical doctors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arndt Büssing
- Professorship Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Witten/Herdecke University, Herdecke, Germany
| | - Alexander Lindeberg
- Professorship Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Witten/Herdecke University, Herdecke, Germany
| | - Beate Stock-Schröer
- Integrated Curriculum Anthroposophic Medicine, Anthroposophic Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Herdecke, Germany
| | - David Martin
- Chair of Medical Theory, Integrative and Anthroposophic Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Herdecke, Germany
| | - Christian Scheffer
- Integrated Curriculum Anthroposophic Medicine, Anthroposophic Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Herdecke, Germany
- Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Herdecke, Department for Internal Medicine, Herdecke, Germany
| | - Hagen S. Bachmann
- Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Centre for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jiang X, Zhao B, Nam EW, Kong F. Assessing Knowledge, Preventive Practices, and Depression Among Chinese International Students and Local Korean Students in South Korea During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Cross-Sectional Study. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:920887. [PMID: 35815006 PMCID: PMC9258509 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.920887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression among university students and international university students is an increasing problem globally. This study aimed to clarify the differences on the conditions and determinants of the knowledge, preventive practices and depression of the Chinese international students and local Korean students in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online cross-sectional questionnaire including general demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related knowledge, preventive practice, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was applied from March 23 to April 22, 2020. A total of 533 university students (171 Chinese international students and 362 local South Korean students) were included in the study. The majority of both Chinese international students and local South Korean students had a good comprehension of COVID-19. Chinese international students in South Korea showed better preventive practice than local Korean students, while the proportion of moderate to severe depression of Chinese international students was relatively higher (28.07%) than that of local Korean students (22.38%). Determinants of depression of Chinese international students in South Korea were information satisfaction, likelihood of survival after infection, symptoms of a cough and feelings of discrimination, while for local Korean students were gender, educational level, family, suspected symptoms, self-assessed physical health status, COVID-19 detection, population contact history and online sources of information. These results could be used as a reference for decreasing the depressive symptoms among the university students.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Jiang
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Health Administration, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea.,Yonsei Global Health Center, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea
| | - Eun Woo Nam
- Department of Health Administration, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea.,Yonsei Global Health Center, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea
| | - Fanlei Kong
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,NHC Key Lab of Health Economics and Policy Research, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kim HS, Ahn J, Lee J, Hong Y, Kim C, Park J, Chung S. The Mediating Effect of Reassurance-Seeking Behavior on the Influence of Viral Anxiety and Depression on COVID-19 Obsession Among Medical Students. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:899266. [PMID: 35770057 PMCID: PMC9234214 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.899266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Healthcare workers experienced great psychological burden due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, medical healthcare workers experienced greater instances of insomnia, anxiety, depression, somatization, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms than the general population. This study aimed to explore the association between viral anxiety and obsession with COVID-19 among medical students with reassurance-seeking behavior as a mediator. METHODS In October 2021, an online survey was conducted among medical students at the University of Ulsan College of Medicine. The clinical characteristics of 162 participants and their responses to rating scales, including stress and anxiety to viral Epidemics-6 items (SAVE-6), Coronavirus Reassurance-Seeking Behaviors Scale (CRBS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9), and Obsession with COVID-19 scale were collected. RESULTS Medical students' obsession with COVID-19 was based on the PHQ-9 (β = 0.15, p = 0.01), SAVE-6 (β = 0.43, p < 0.001), and CRBS (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) scores (adjusted R2 = 0.49, F = 39.9, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that medical students' viral anxiety and depression directly influenced their obsession with COVID-19, and their reassurance-seeking behavior partially mediated the effects of depression or viral anxiety on obsession with COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS Medical students' viral anxiety and depression may affect their obsession with COVID-19, and reassurance-seeking behaviors may mediate this. Therefore, medical students should adopt adaptive coping strategies to prevent high levels of viral anxiety and recurrent reassurance-seeking behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Sub Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Junseok Ahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Jukab Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Youjin Hong
- Department of Psychiatry, GangNeung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, South Korea
| | - Changnam Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University of Medicine, Changwon, South Korea
| | - Jangho Park
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Seockhoon Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chinsky R, Morris A, Suh A, Hum A, Wolin D, Harper B, Blazey W, Yao S, Krishnamachari B. Medical Student Perspectives on Their Role as Emerging Physicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic. MEDICAL SCIENCE EDUCATOR 2021; 31:1859-1867. [PMID: 34518786 PMCID: PMC8425853 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-021-01374-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The COVID-19 pandemic caused a large strain on the US medical system, with shortage of medical personnel being a key issue. The role of medical school students during a pandemic is not well established. Understanding the perspectives of medical students with regard to their role is essential in determining how to facilitate the use of their skills in combating the pandemic. To evaluate medical student perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic, an anonymous online survey was distributed to medical students, primarily in the Northeastern United States. In the sample of 232 students, there were significant differences between students in different class years when assessing moral obligations to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.002). A higher percentage of first and second year medical students (pre-clinical training, around 48%) felt that healthcare students are morally obligated to assist as compared to third and fourth year students (clinical training, 30.43% of third years and 23.19% of fourth years). In all class years, the majority said they would regret their decision if they had chosen not to study medicine (62.32% to 79.31%) and most students did not feel their motivation to become a physician had been decreased (84.78% to 87.50%). Though the study was limited because the majority of subjects were from New York, the results provide insight into medical students' attitudes about the COVID-19 pandemic and can be used in the planning of how best to utilize medical students in this and in future situations. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01374-z.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Chinsky
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - Alexander Morris
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - Angela Suh
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - Avery Hum
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - Danielle Wolin
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - Brian Harper
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - William Blazey
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - Sheldon Yao
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| | - Bhuma Krishnamachari
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545 USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
De Micheli G, Vergani L, Mazzoni D, Marton G. After the Pandemic: The Future of Italian Medicine. The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Medical and Other Healthcare-Related Degrees Students. Front Psychol 2021; 12:648419. [PMID: 34803788 PMCID: PMC8600185 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: The study aimed to explore the psychological symptoms and the readiness to fight the pandemic of the new generation of healthcare professionals: medical and other healthcare degree students. Methods: We enrolled 509 medical and healthcare-related degree students during the second outbreak of COVID-19 in Italy. We have examined their psychological symptoms using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and their readiness to fight the pandemic together with their academic career status, their relationship with the university, and their emotional reactions to the pandemic with Visual Analog Scales. Results: We retrieved a GHQ mean of 21.65 (SD = 40.63) and readiness to fight the pandemic mean of 53.58 (SD = 31.49). Perceived control affects variables: a negative effect on psychological symptoms and a positive effect on the willingness to fight the pandemic. The other variables with an impact were stress, loneliness, and anger that had a significant and positive impact on psychological symptoms. Age and concern for patients had a significant positive impact on readiness to fight for the pandemic, while years of attendance had a significant but negative impact. Conclusion: Universities and Institutions should consider the impact of the pandemic on students, in particular, for its effect on their mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Vergani
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, European Institute of Oncology (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Mazzoni
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Marton
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, European Institute of Oncology (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Eleftheriou A, Rokou A, Arvaniti A, Nena E, Steiropoulos P. Sleep Quality and Mental Health of Medical Students in Greece During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Public Health 2021; 9:775374. [PMID: 34869189 PMCID: PMC8639533 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.775374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background-Aim: Medical students have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to their educational program, which comprises theoretical knowledge and also clinical duties, making them vulnerable to viral exposures and possibly affecting their everyday life. The aim of this study was to explore changes in sleep and mental health parameters among medical students in Greece during the second year of the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised students of all medical schools in Greece (n = 7), using an anonymous online survey. Participants completed the following questionnaires: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Statistical analysis was conducted with the use of SPSS v.26 (IBM SPSS, Armonk NY, USA). Results: Out of the 562 received responses, 559 met the inclusion criteria. The largest proportion of the respondents came from 4th-year (27.8%) and the majority of the sample were females (69.8%). Only 5.9% of the participants reported having been infected by SARS-COV-2. Most of the respondents experienced insomnia (65.9%, mean AIS score: 7.59 ± 4.24), poor sleep quality (52.4%, mean PSQI score: 6.6 ± 3.25) and increased fatigue (48.5%, mean 35.82 ± 11.74). Moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety (mean 9.04 ± 5.66) and depression (mean 9.36 ± 6.15) were noted. Suicidal ideation was found in 16.7% of the sample, while use of sleeping pills in the previous month was reported by 8.8% (n = 47). Further analysis revealed independent associations between sleep and mental health parameters. Higher AIS score was associated with greater FSS score; higher PSQI scores with higher GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. Additionally, female students were found to be significantly more affected than males by the COVID-19 pandemic, displaying higher levels of insomnia, sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression. In addition, those with a history of COVID-19 infection or in close proximity with a positive case reported significantly more significant post-traumatic symptoms in IES-COVID-19 questionnaire. Conclusions: In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, prevalence of sleep and mental health disorders among Greek medical students is significant, highlighting the need for better surveillance of students' wellbeing and subsequent counseling, with special focus on female students and other affected groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Eleftheriou
- Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Rokou
- Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Arvaniti
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Evangelia Nena
- Laboratory of Social Medicine, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Paschalis Steiropoulos
- Department of Pulmonology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece,*Correspondence: Paschalis Steiropoulos
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Co M, Ho MK, Bharwani AA, Yan Chan VH, Yi Chan EH, Poon KS. Cross-sectional case-control study on medical students' psychosocial stress during COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Heliyon 2021; 7:e08486. [PMID: 34859157 PMCID: PMC8619884 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes in pedagogy for undergraduate medical curriculum. Many physical clinical teachings have been replaced by online pedagogy. This study aims to evaluate the relation between medical students' stress during COVID-19 pandemic and their academic performance at the final examination. METHODS This is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Student's stress level were evaluated by the COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire (CSSQ). Correlation of stress level and students' performance at the final examination was performed. RESULTS 110 out of 221 (49.8%) final-year medical students responded to the questionnaire, 13 students failed in the final examination (case) while 97 students passed in the final MBBS examination (control).Baseline demographic data between case and control were comparable. The median age for both cases and controls were 24 years.Compared to controls, cases reported higher levels of stress in all domains, namely in relation to risk of contagion, social isolation, interpersonal relationships with relatives, university colleagues and professors, academic life, and sexual life. Notably, a significantly higher proportion of cases reported academic-related stress compared to controls (p < 0.01), with 100% of cases perceiving their academic studying experience during the COVID-19 pandemic to be "very" or "extremely" stressful, compared to 35.1% of controls. CONCLUSION Increased stress to academic and study during COVID-19 was associated with worse examination outcome at the final examination. Extra academic support will be needed to cater students' need during the pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Co
- Center for Education and Training, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Margaret Kay Ho
- Center for Education and Training, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Alina Ashok Bharwani
- Center for Education and Training, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Vernice Hui Yan Chan
- Center for Education and Training, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Evelyn Hui Yi Chan
- Center for Education and Training, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ahn J, Lee J, Hong Y, Park J, Chung S. Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 for Medical Students: Psychometric Properties of the Anxiety Measure for the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:705805. [PMID: 34413799 PMCID: PMC8369005 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.705805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties and validity of Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 items (SAVE-6) among medical students who are at high risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. A total of 212 medical students participated in the online anonymous survey that used SAVE-6, Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 items (GAD-7), and Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). We observed that the single-factor structure model of the SAVE-6 scale showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.756) and a good convergent validity with GAD-7 (rho = 0.320, p < 0.001), CAS (rho = 0.229, p < 0.001), and WSAS (rho = 0.278, p < 0.001). The appropriate cut-off score of the SAVE-6 scale was determined as 15 points in accordance with at least a mild degree of generalized anxiety (GAD-7 score of 5) among medical students. In conclusion, the SAVE-6 scale can be applied to medical students as a reliable and valid rating scale to assess anxiety response to the present viral pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junseok Ahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Jukab Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Youjin Hong
- Department of Psychiatry, GangNeung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, South Korea
| | - Jangho Park
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Seockhoon Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|