Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict.
Ali Awadallah Saeed, Ahmad Mohammad Al Zamel, Abrar Abdu Abass, Aisha Ahmed Mohammed, Fidaaldeen Adil Abdallh, Hiba Elhadi Ali, Nooralain Mohammed Hassan, Raad Mohammed Osman, Toga Abdelmutaal Mohammed, Azza Osman Yousif, Lamya Bashir Eisa
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Abstract
Introduction: Mental health is crucial for overcoming obstacles, completing tasks, and contributing to society. Mental, social, and cognitive healths are included. In demanding fields like medicine, academic pressure can cause exhaustion, poor performance, and behavioral changes. Mental health must be addressed to improve student success and well-being. Medical students' coping strategies, anxiety, depression, and behavioral changes in uncontrollable situations will be studied.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study involved 393 medical students from various universities in Khartoum. Data was collected using an online questionnaire to assess mental health responses during both controllable and uncontrollable situations across all academic years.
Results: Data analysis using SPSS 27 indicated minimal missing data (0.25%) among the 393 participants. PHQ-4 scores assessed psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. The study found that 74.2% of participants experienced behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes. Significant associations were observed between PHQ-4 scores and these changes (p < .05) using Chi-Square testing. Most participants were females aged 20 to 22, primarily from the Medicine and Pharmacy departments. The study revealed that most individuals utilized pharmacological coping strategies following significant life changes due to uncontrollable situations.
Conclusion: The study highlights that women experienced stress, dissatisfaction, concern, and anger more frequently than men during ongoing war and the post-COVID-19 lockdown. Medical students faced substantial challenges in behavior, emotions, and cognition during societal unrest, including fatigue, feelings of failure, and sleep disturbances. Over 74% reported multiple changes in their emotions and behaviors. Coping strategies included nicotine, sleeping aids, socializing, exercise, venting, meditation, and journaling.
期刊介绍：
BMC Psychology is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers manuscripts on all aspects of psychology, human behavior and the mind, including developmental, clinical, cognitive, experimental, health and social psychology, as well as personality and individual differences. The journal welcomes quantitative and qualitative research methods, including animal studies.
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