IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i11p5792-d564051.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

COVID-19 Pandemic Affects the Medical Students’ Learning Process and Assaults Their Psychological Wellbeing

Author

Listed:
  • Marium Aftab

    (Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi 74200, Pakistan)

  • Alsaleem Mohammed Abadi

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Guraiger, Abha 6252, Saudi Arabia)

  • Shamsun Nahar

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Guraiger, Abha 6252, Saudi Arabia)

  • Razia Aftab Ahmed

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Guraiger, Abha 6252, Saudi Arabia)

  • Syed Esam Mahmood

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Guraiger, Abha 6252, Saudi Arabia)

  • Manik Madaan

    (KIMS Medical College Bangalore, Bengaluru 560004, India)

  • Ausaf Ahmad

    (Department of Community Medicine, IIMSR, Integral University, Kursi Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226026, India)

Abstract

Background: With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are living within a milieu of stress, anxiety, and fear. Medical students are susceptible to these emotional injuries, but their psychological wellbeing and learning may further be assaulted by future uncertainties and altered teaching and training programs. Our objective was to find the extent of the psychological impact of the pandemic and the learning difficulties they are experiencing; Methodology: This cross-sectional study included 418 undergraduate and postgraduate medical students from all over the world. A questionnaire was uploaded in Google survey form. It included background characteristics, questions for psychiatric impact like PHQ-9, GAD-7, ZF-OCS, and questions for learning difficulties perceived in comparison to the pre-pandemic time. Results: Among participants, 34.9% of students were male and 65.1% female. Around 46.4% belonged to the WHO, Eastern Mediterranean region, 26.8% from South East Asia region, 17.5% from the region of America, 5.5% from the European region,2.2%from the Western Pacific region, and 1.7% from the African region. Symptoms due to psychiatric illness were noticed in 393 (93.1%); depression in 386 (92.3%), anxiety in 158 (37.8%), obsessive compulsion disorder in 225 (53.8%), and post-traumatic stress syndrome in 129 (39.9%). Female gender, geographical region, and history of previous psychiatric illness were significantly related to almost all the psychiatric illnesses. Regarding learning difficulty, 96% of students faced problems: trouble with memorizing in 54.0%, concentration problems in 67.0%, about 55.5% of students made more mistakes, while 44.5% noted an increase in reaction time for solving questions. In addition, 90% experienced greater difficulty in overall learning during the pandemic in comparison to the pre-pandemic time. Conclusion: Assault on psychological wellbeing, struggling to memorize, inattention and difficulty in concentration on studies, along with perceived overall trouble with learning, have emerged as collateral damage from the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to medical students.

Suggested Citation

  • Marium Aftab & Alsaleem Mohammed Abadi & Shamsun Nahar & Razia Aftab Ahmed & Syed Esam Mahmood & Manik Madaan & Ausaf Ahmad, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic Affects the Medical Students’ Learning Process and Assaults Their Psychological Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5792-:d:564051
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/5792/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/5792/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hong Yan Li & Hui Cao & Doris Y. P. Leung & Yim Wah Mak, 2020. "The Psychological Impacts of a COVID-19 Outbreak on College Students in China: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Sui-Qing Chen & Shu-Dan Chen & Xing-Kai Li & Jie Ren, 2020. "Mental Health of Parents of Special Needs Children in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-14, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pingting Zhu & Ting Xu & Huiwen Xu & Qiaoying Ji & Wen Wang & Meiyan Qian & Guanghui Shi, 2023. "Relationship between Anxiety, Depression and Learning Burnout of Nursing Undergraduates after the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-12, February.
    2. Marianna Alesi & Giulia Giordano & Ambra Gentile & Barbara Caci, 2023. "The Switch to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Interplay between Personality and Mental Health on University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-15, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Christoph Lindner & Ibolya Kotta & Eszter Eniko Marschalko & Kinga Szabo & Kinga Kalcza-Janosi & Jan Retelsdorf, 2022. "Increased Risk Perception, Distress Intolerance and Health Anxiety in Stricter Lockdowns: Self-Control as a Key Protective Factor in Early Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-22, April.
    2. Jialu Shi & Xuan Wang & Fuyi Ci & Kai Liu, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Patterns of the COVID-19 Pandemic in China: An Empirical Study Based on 413 Cities or Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Matthew J. Savage & Philip J. Hennis & Daniele Magistro & James Donaldson & Laura C. Healy & Ruth M. James, 2021. "Nine Months into the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study Showing Mental Health and Movement Behaviours Are Impaired in UK Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-10, March.
    4. Sean G. Young, 2023. "Hidden Costs of the COVID-19 Pandemic Response," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-7, April.
    5. Dina Di Giacomo & Alessandra Martelli & Federica Guerra & Federica Cielo & Jessica Ranieri, 2021. "Mediator Effect of Affinity for E-Learning on Mental Health: Buffering Strategy for the Resilience of University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, July.
    6. Gerardo Gómez-García & Magdalena Ramos-Navas-Parejo & Juan-Carlos de la Cruz-Campos & Carmen Rodríguez-Jiménez, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 on University Students: An Analysis of Its Influence on Psychological and Academic Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-15, August.
    7. Liliana Dumitrache & Elena Stănculescu & Mariana Nae & Daniela Dumbrăveanu & Gabriel Simion & Ana Maria Taloș & Alina Mareci, 2021. "Post-Lockdown Effects on Students’ Mental Health in Romania: Perceived Stress, Missing Daily Social Interactions, and Boredom Proneness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    8. Byungha Lee & Jung Su Hong, 2022. "Short- and Long-Term Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Suicide-Related Mental Health in Korean Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-12, September.
    9. Elizabeth A. Newnham & Peta L. Dzidic & Enrique L.P. Mergelsberg & Bhushan Guragain & Emily Ying Yang Chan & Yoshiharu Kim & Jennifer Leaning & Ryoma Kayano & Michael Wright & Lalindra Kaththiriarachc, 2020. "The Asia Pacific Disaster Mental Health Network: Setting a Mental Health Agenda for the Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-9, August.
    10. Andrei Shpakou & Ihar A. Naumau & Tatyana Yu. Krestyaninova & Alena V. Znatnova & Svetlana V. Lollini & Sergei Surkov & Aleh Kuzniatsou, 2022. "Physical Activity, Life Satisfaction, Stress Perception and Coping Strategies of University Students in Belarus during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-21, July.
    11. Isabel Lasheras & Patricia Gracia-García & Darren M. Lipnicki & Juan Bueno-Notivol & Raúl López-Antón & Concepción de la Cámara & Antonio Lobo & Javier Santabárbara, 2020. "Prevalence of Anxiety in Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-12, September.
    12. Wandeep Kaur & Vimala Balakrishnan & Yoke Yong Chen & Jeyarani Periasamy, 2022. "Mental Health Risk Factors and Coping Strategies among Students in Asia Pacific during COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, July.
    13. Christina Brogårdh & Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund & Frida Eek & Kjerstin Stigmar & Ingrid Lindgren & Anna Trulsson Schouenborg & Eva Ekvall Hansson, 2021. "Self-Perceived Life Satisfaction during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
    14. Vladimir Reshetnikov & Oleg Mitrokhin & Elena Belova & Victor Mikhailovsky & Maria Mikerova & Ali Alsaegh & Irina Yakushina & Valery Royuk, 2021. "Indoor Environmental Quality in Dwellings and Lifestyle Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Russian Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-9, June.
    15. Domenico Sanseverino & Danila Molinaro & Paola Spagnoli & Chiara Ghislieri, 2023. "The Dynamic between Self-Efficacy and Emotional Exhaustion through Studyholism: Which Resources Could Be Helpful for University Students?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-17, July.
    16. Javier Santabarbara & Nahia Idoiaga & Naiara Ozamiz-Etxebarria & Juan Bueno-Notivol, 2021. "Prevalence of Anxiety in Dental Students during the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-14, October.
    17. María Dolores Hidalgo & Nekane Balluerka & Arantxa Gorostiaga & José Pedro Espada & Miguel Ángel Santed & José Luis Padilla & Juana Gómez-Benito, 2020. "The Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 and Lockdown in the Spanish Population: An Exploratory Sequential Design," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    18. Anna Szuster & Miroslawa Huflejt-Łukasik & Dorota Karwowska & Maciej Pastwa & Zuzanna Laszczkowska & Kamil K. Imbir, 2022. "Affective Attitudes in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Dynamics of Negative Emotions and a Sense of Threat in Poles in the First Wave of the Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-17, October.
    19. Tahani K. Alshammari & Aljawharah M. Alkhodair & Hanan A. Alhebshi & Aleksandra M. Rogowska & Awatif B. Albaker & Nouf T. AL-Damri & Anfal F. Bin Dayel & Asma S. Alonazi & Nouf M. Alrasheed & Musaad A, 2022. "Examining Anxiety, Sleep Quality, and Physical Activity as Predictors of Depression among University Students from Saudi Arabia during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-18, May.
    20. Ying Guo & Hongyu Zhang & Yufei Xie & Xin Tian & Na Luo & Yan Zhang, 2022. "A Cross-Sectional Survey of National Chinese College Students’ Mental Status during COVID-19 Pandemic: Using a Compiled Stress Response Questionnaire," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-13, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5792-:d:564051. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.