Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2-associated perceived stress and anxiety among indian medical students: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: The spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new public health concern that has shaken the whole world and possesses a challenge to the mental health of the public. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the perceived stress, anxiety level, and mental health of medical students as well as to explore the knowledge of COVID-19 among Indian medical students. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among the undergraduate medical interns and postgraduate medical residents using the online data collection form. The form consisted of five domains (sociodemographic details, knowledge assessment, perceived stress assessment, generalized anxiety disorder-7 assessment, and assessment of the perceived level of change in social habits and personal hygiene related to COVID-19 outbreak). The statistical analysis of the responses was carried out by the Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal- Wallis tests. Results: Two hundred participants filled the distributed survey, 61% (n = 122) were males. The mean knowledge score of 200 participants was 4.27 +/- 1.45. The participant had a mean perceived stress score of 18.35 +/- 6.28, and the females had a significantly higher perceived stress level than the male (P = 0.037). About 10% (n = 20) of the participants reported high perceived stress level (27-40), and moderate stress (score 14-26) was reported in 69% (n = 138) of the participants. However, only 21% (n = 42) of the participants reported low stress (0-13). While only moderate anxiety (score 10-14) was reported in 16% (n = 32) of the participant and 4% (n = 8) of the participants reported severe anxiety (score > 14). Conclusion: There is an increased stress and anxiety in Indian medical students due to overburdened responsibilities and lack of adequate resources.

Automated summary

The study investigated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Indian medical students' perceived stress, anxiety levels, and mental health. The results showed an increased level of stress and anxiety among medical students, especially with higher levels of perceived stress among females compared to males.