Affect of COVID-19 on mental well-being and quality of life of medical students – A cross sectional study

Abstract

Corona (COVID-19) has affected the lives of 39.4 million people worldwide (WHO,2020). Post the COVID-19 lockdown imposed on March 25, 2020 in India, colleges and universities shifted to online classes so that students could continue their education without abberations. Social isolation as a result of the lockdown along with uncertainties about the future added to the mental distress of the students along with a decline in their quality of life. In this study, we wanted to study the effect of COVID-19 on the student’s mental health and their quality of life. N=292 students of Government medical college, Amritsar took a survey administered online. The survey comprised of questionnaires adapted from the WHOQOL-BREF, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Beck Depression Inventory. The results revealed that about 43% males and 48% females experienced a decline in quality of life. 21% males and 27% females experienced anxiety. Approximately, 15% males and 18% females experienced symptoms of depression. COVID-19 caused distress in the lives of these students but a larger sample size is needed to enhance the generalizability of these results. Moreover, extensive psychiatric evaluations could be conducted to understand the extent of the distress on mental health.