IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i12p6611-d578057.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Psychological Stress among Students in Health-Related Fields during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study at Selected Munich Universities

Author

Listed:
  • Kristina Schröpfer

    (Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
    Pettenkofer School of Public Health, 81377 Munich, Germany)

  • Nicole Schmidt

    (Department of Social Work, Catholic University of Applied Sciences, 81667 Munich, Germany
    Gynecology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals of Geneva, 1205 Genève, Switzerland)

  • Sandra Kus

    (Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
    Pettenkofer School of Public Health, 81377 Munich, Germany)

  • Clemens Koob

    (Department of Health and Nursing, Catholic University of Applied Sciences, 81667 Munich, Germany)

  • Michaela Coenen

    (Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology—IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
    Pettenkofer School of Public Health, 81377 Munich, Germany)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging period of upheaval for higher education students. This study aims to assess the factors associated with psychological stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of students in health-related fields at Munich universities in Germany. Students ( n = 623) from KSH Munich and LMU Munich completed an online cross-sectional survey. Information on demographics and academic and everyday difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as data on physical and mental health were collected. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the outcome. The prevalence for higher psychological stress was 44% among the study population. Factors associated with higher psychological stress were: lower overall life satisfaction ( p < 0.0001), worsened health situation ( p < 0.0001), lack of social support ( p = 0.0301) and social interaction ( p = 0.0115), worries about financial difficulties due to loss of income ( p = 0.0134), stressful thoughts about a second wave ( p < 0.0001), feeling unable to positively influence the situation ( p = 0.0262) and study-related effects, such as perceived study burden ( p = 0.0003) and likely delay in studies ( p = 0.0178)). The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant negative impact on the mental health of students in health-related fields. Proactive efforts to support the mental health and well-being of students are needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristina Schröpfer & Nicole Schmidt & Sandra Kus & Clemens Koob & Michaela Coenen, 2021. "Psychological Stress among Students in Health-Related Fields during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study at Selected Munich Universities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:12:p:6611-:d:578057
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/12/6611/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/12/6611/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Imran Aslan & Dominika Ochnik & Orhan Çınar, 2020. "Exploring Perceived Stress among Students in Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Aleksander Aristovnik & Damijana Keržič & Dejan Ravšelj & Nina Tomaževič & Lan Umek, 2020. "Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Life of Higher Education Students: A Global Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-34, October.
    3. Julio Torales & Marcelo O’Higgins & João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia & Antonio Ventriglio, 2020. "The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(4), pages 317-320, June.
    4. Shelley L. Holden & Brooke E. Forester & Henry N. Williford & Erin Reilly, 2019. "Sport Locus of Control and Perceived Stress among College Student-Athletes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-7, August.
    5. Teris Cheung & Siu Yi Wong & Kit Yi Wong & Lap Yan Law & Karen Ng & Man Tik Tong & Ka Yu Wong & Man Ying Ng & Paul S.F. Yip, 2016. "Depression, Anxiety and Symptoms of Stress among Baccalaureate Nursing Students in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-25, August.
    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. 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.
    2. Fang-Yi Tsai & Hannah Schillok & Michaela Coenen & Christina Merkel & Caroline Jung-Sievers & on behalf of the COSMO Study Group, 2022. "The Well-Being of the German Adult Population Measured with the WHO-5 over Different Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis within the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring Study (COSMO)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-27, 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. Silvia Mariela Méndez-Prado & Ariel Flores Ulloa, 2022. "The Impact Analysis of Psychological Issues and Pandemic-Related Variables on Ecuadorian University Students during COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-23, October.
    2. Ewa Kupcewicz & Marzena Mikla & Helena Kadučáková & Elżbieta Grochans & Maria Dolores Roldán Valcarcel & Anna Maria Cybulska, 2022. "Correlation between Positive Orientation and Control of Anger, Anxiety and Depression in Nursing Students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Firas Mourad & Sonia Mangialavori & Antonella Delle Fave, 2022. "Resilience and Experience of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Italian University Students: A Mixed-Method Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Karina Badura-Brzoza & Paweł Dębski & Patryk Główczyński & Małgorzata Dębska-Janus & Piotr Gorczyca, 2022. "Life Satisfaction and Perceived Stress versus Health Promoting Behavior among Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-12, May.
    5. Julio Torales & Iván Barrios & Osvaldo Melgarejo & Noelia Ruiz Díaz & Marcelo O’Higgins & Rodrigo Navarro & Diego Amarilla & José Almirón-Santacruz & Israel González-Urbieta & Tomás Caycho-Rod, 2024. "Hope, resilience and subjective happiness among general population of Paraguay in the post COVID-19 pandemic," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(3), pages 489-497, May.
    6. Robert Tholen & Koen Ponnet & Guido Van Hal & Sara De Bruyn & Veerle Buffel & Sarah Van de Velde & Piet Bracke & Edwin Wouters, 2022. "Substance Use among Belgian Higher Education Students before and during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, April.
    7. Cudjoe, Dan & Wang, Hong & zhu, Bangzhu, 2022. "Thermochemical treatment of daily COVID-19 single-use facemask waste: Power generation potential and environmental impact analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    8. Hui-Wen Tseng & Ching-Shu Tsai & Yu-Min Chen & Ray C. Hsiao & Fan-Hao Chou & Cheng-Fang Yen, 2021. "Poor Mental Health in Caregivers of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Its Relationships with Caregivers’ Difficulties in Managing the Children’s Behaviors and Worsened Psychol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-16, September.
    9. Nadia Nandlall & Lisa D. Hawke & Em Hayes & Karleigh Darnay & Mardi Daley & Jacqueline Relihan & Joanna Henderson, 2022. "Learning Through a Pandemic: Youth Experiences With Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(3), pages 21582440221, September.
    10. Qin Xiang Ng & Kuan Tsee Chee & Michelle Lee Zhi Qing De Deyn & Zenn Chua, 2020. "Staying connected during the COVID-19 pandemic," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(5), pages 519-520, August.
    11. Becky Leshem & Gabriela Kashy-Rosenbaum & Miriam Schiff & Rami Benbenishty & Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, 2023. "Continuous Exposure to Terrorism during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model in the Israeli Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Tabea Bork-Hüffer & Vanessa Kulcar & Ferdinand Brielmair & Andrea Markl & Daniel Marian Immer & Barbara Juen & Maria Hildegard Walter & Katja Kaufmann, 2021. "University Students’ Perception, Evaluation, and Spaces of Distance Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Austria: What Can We Learn for Post-Pandemic Educational Futures?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-25, July.
    13. Clemens Koestner & Viktoria Eggert & Theresa Dicks & Kristin Kalo & Carolina Zähme & Pavel Dietz & Stephan Letzel & Till Beutel, 2022. "Psychological Burdens among Teachers in Germany during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic—Subgroup Analysis from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Online Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Francesco Demaria & Stefano Vicari, 2023. "Adolescent Distress: Is There a Vaccine? Social and Cultural Considerations during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-11, January.
    15. Qingyuan Luo & Peng Zhang & Yijia Liu & Xiujie Ma & George Jennings, 2022. "Intervention of Physical Activity for University Students with Anxiety and Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention and Control Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-20, November.
    16. Khamarul Arifin Mohd Zainal Abidin & Maliza Delima Kamarul Zaman & Shamsul Azren Mohd Shukur, 2023. "A Study on the Causes of Work Stress among Malaysia Civil Defense Force (MCDF) Personnel," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 15(3), pages 439-450.
    17. Ankica Kosic & Tamara Džamonja Ignjatović & Nebojša Petrović, 2021. "A Cross-Cultural Study of Distress during COVID-19 Pandemic: Some Protective and Risk Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-15, July.
    18. Li, Jianbiao & Zhang, Yanan & Niu, Xiaofei, 2021. "The COVID-19 pandemic reduces trust behavior," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    19. Lígia Passos & Filipe Prazeres & Andreia Teixeira & Carlos Martins, 2020. "Impact on Mental Health Due to COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study in Portugal and Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-13, September.
    20. Jian-Bin Li & An Yang & Kai Dou & Rebecca Y. M. Cheung, 2020. "Self-Control Moderates the Association Between Perceived Severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Mental Health Problems Among the Chinese Public," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-10, July.

    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:12:p:6611-:d:578057. 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.