Author(s)

Rodrigo Corrêa Falcão Rodrigues Alves¹, Rodolffo da Silva Fossa¹, Vinicius de Calasans Timaco¹, José Mariano Soares de Moraes^1,2, Emilio Magalhães Martins Will³, Rinaldo Henrique Aguilar da Silva¹, Luiz Antonio Vane¹, Joaquim Edson Vieira⁴, Matheus Fachini Vane^1*

¹Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de São José dos Campos, São José dos Campos, Brazil.
²Department of Anesthesiology, Juiz de Fora Federal University, Juiz de Fora, Brazil.
³Department of Anesthesiology, Clinics Hospital, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴Discipline of Anesthesiology, Department of Surgery, University of São Paulo Medical School, São José dos Campos, Brazil.

Background: Measures to contain the COVID-19 transmission reached teaching routines of universities worldwide with possible mental health consequences for anxiety. This study assessed prevalence and risk factors for stress, depression, and anxiety (SDA) in medical students during quarantine by COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study of medical students by means of the DASS-21 questionnaire. Risk factors for SDA were assessed based on epidemiologic questions related to COVID-19. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated for each predictor, as well as sensitivity and specificity. Results: This survey reached 1009 responses. A prevalence of 77.5% for some SDA disorder was found, 63% being severe. Previous diagnosis of psychiatric disorder was a factor of risk for anxiety (OR 2.78 CI95% 1.44 - 14.25, p = 0.044), as well as for depression (OR 3.37 CI95% 1.98 - 6.02, p < 0.001). Prior psychiatric illness (OR 3.70 CI95% 2.21 - 6.44, p = 0.001), presence of a chronic disease (OR 2.09, CI95% 1.19 - 3.83, p = 0.013) and male gender (OR 0.56 CI95% 0.37 - 0.86, p = 0.009) were independently associated with stress. Conclusion: Psychiatric conditions as well as chronic illnesses were risk factors for high prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among medical students.

Mental Health, COVID-19, Students, Medical, Surveys and Questionnaires

Alves, R. , Fossa, R. , Timaco, V. , de Moraes, J. , Will, E. , da Silva, R. , Vane, L. , Vieira, J. and Vane, M. (2023) COVID-19 Downgraded Already Impaired Mental Health of Medical Undergraduates during the Pandemic Years. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 11, 166-180. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2023.115012.