Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Undergraduate Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Depression, anxiety, and stress among medical undergraduate students are often underrecognized and undertreated. Prolonged online classes in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in tremendous psychological stress among students. Objective: To assess the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression among medical students during the COVID pandemic and the associated factors. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students in a medical college in Delhi. A self-administrated questionnaire, containing general information (on-screen time, death or hospitalization in family due to COVID) and the DASS-21 version, was circulated to students enrolled before 2020. Data collected was tabulated in Microsoft Excel and analysed using SPSS version 23. Results: Out of 550 students, 345 (62.7%) participated in the study, of which 341 gave consent. High frequencies of depression 214 (62.8%), anxiety 199 (58.3%) and stress 150 (43.7%) were reported. Significant association was found between the determinants like hectic online classes and curbs on travelling and socializing. Conclusion: The high burden of depression, anxiety and stress detected among the students is a pointer towards a negative impact of online classes that can negatively impact academic performance, professionalism and empathy towards patients.