Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on University Students of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (Pakistan) and Their Survival

Background: COVID-19 is spreading quickly, producing excessive compact of distress and dissention in the community. Methods: The cross-sectional survey was used among students of University of Peshawar Pakistan. The designed questionnaire (hard and soft form) to measure anxiety, stress and depression under defined scales and survival strategies was used for assessment. Results: A total of 800 participants 59.0% females, 41.0% Males with mean age (22.98 ± 2.918 years,) participated in the study. The frequency of students having moderate anxiety, stress and depression (at their score range) was approximately 30.9%, 12.1% and 35.1% correspondingly. The 162 out of total respondents were watching/using media as survival strategy. Males had significantly less anxiety, Stress and depression scores than females. Additionally, those having a positive covid-19 are slightly increased of stress and anxiety, while family history or colleague with disease had significantly higher anxiety score than depression. The leading causes of distress associated with pandemic were found the uncertain and unstable situation in term of accessibility, travel and continuation of income resources. Conclusion: Covid-19 has been assessed with major impact on student’s psychological fitness. The frequent survival strategy implemented by university students in this study were watching/use of media, games/exercises, following of Covid-19 SOPs, comedy and religious activities. Therefore, it is recommended that mental health of students should not be abandoned during pandemic.