International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security

International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security (국제컴퓨터통신보호논문지학회)
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Computational Impact Analysis of Mental Health and Stress Coping of University Students amid COVID-19 Pandemic

  • Hussain Saleem (Department of Computer Science, UBIT, University of Karachi) ;
  • Kiran Fatima Mehboob Ali Bana (Bahria University Medical & Dental College, BUMDC) ;
  • Samina Saleem (Karachi University Business School, KUBS, University of Karachi)
  • Received : 2024.06.05
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

Objectives: To compare the levels of anxiety on GAD-7 scale among undergraduates of dental, medical and engineering students during COVID-19. The secondary objectives were to correlate the factors influencing level of anxiety and to assess the coping strategies practiced by undergraduates' students of Karachi duri.ng COVID-19 outbreak. Methodology: The cross-sectional based survey was conducted online among the medical, dental and engineering undergraduates' university students of private sector in Karachi through purposive sampling technique during COVID-19 lock down period. The GAD-7 validated tool was used along with the demographic variables, related stress factors and the coping skills practiced during this outbreak. Total 571 questionnaires were found completed in all sections. The data was analyzed on SPSS version 23. P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The mental health of the students was assessed on GADS-7 scale as normal, mild, moderate and severe levels. From the total (n=18-3.2%) were normal, (n=132-23.1%) had mild, (n=343-60.1%) had moderate and (n=78-13.7%) had severe anxiety level on GADS-7. The levels of anxiety on GAD-7 scale were all positively associated with the related stressors at p-value of 0.000. Moreover the results depicted that there was a moderate and positive correlation found (0.456, 0.447, 0.512 and 0.452) for all related stressors and GAD-7 scale. Taking breaks from watching, reading news regarding the outbreak of COVID-19, meditation and engaging in some other activities were the most frequently used coping strategies for all levels of anxiety among three cohorts of undergraduates'. Conclusion: Undergraduates has shown 96.9% drastically increased level of anxiety during the outbreak of COVID 19 pandemic. Taking breaks from watching, reading news regarding the outbreak of COVID-19 was the most frequent behavior practiced by the students.

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References

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