TY - JOUR PY - 2021// TI - Assessing the psychological impacts of CoViD-19 in undergraduate medical students JO - International journal of environmental research and public health A1 - Guo, Alyssa A. A1 - Crum, Marissa A. A1 - Fowler, Lauren A. SP - EP - VL - 18 IS - 6 N2 - Medical education has been uniquely affected by the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the pandemic's psychological impacts on medical students remain unclear, this study assessed COVID-19's impacts on undergraduate medical students' stress and anxiety. A nationwide, online survey was administered via email chains between June-August 2020 to first-fourth year medical students in the United States. Demographics, 4-point Perceived Stress Scale that measures stress, 7-point Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale that measures anxiety, and the impacts of social, health, and academic stressors due to COVID-19 were collected. Of the 852 students who participated, 66.1% experienced mild, moderate, or severe anxiety. Mean PSS-4 score was 7.25/16. Stress was highest in second- through fourth-year students. Students with preexisting mental health conditions had significantly higher stress and anxiety scores, and higher percentage of stress attributed to COVID-19. Trust in government institutions during COVID-19 was the highest stressor in first- and second-year students. Delay/availability of standardized exams was the highest stressor for third-year students. Impact on rotations/residencies was the highest stressor for fourth-year students. Understanding how students' anxiety and stress have changed due to COVID-19 will allow educators to identify students in need and guide recommendations on the implementation of psychological interventions and support strategies.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1661-7827 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062952 ID - ref1 ER -