Determining the Coronavirus-19 Phobia Level of a Group of University Students

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the daily lives of people across society, generating anxiety and concern. University students may have also experienced phobic reactions related to COVID-19. This study aims to ascertain and assess the prevalence of COVID-19 phobia amongst university students. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 247 students enrolled in the health services vocational school of a private university in Ankara during July and August 2020. To collect data, a form with 8 questions and the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S) were applied. Data were analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows statistical software. Statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. Results: Of the study’s participants, the majority (81.8%) resided in provincial centers, and a small proportion (16.2%) reported experiencing chronic illnesses. Only a minority (1.2%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 themselves, while a considerably higher proportion (20.6%) had friends or family members who got diagnosed. A more modest percentage (3.6%) had experienced the loss of friends or relatives due to the virus. Overall, the students surveyed indicated moderate levels of coronavirus phobia (54.51±16.97), with the psychological C19P-S subscale receiving the highest score. C19P-S scores were higher among students residing in provincial centers, with friends and relatives diagnosed with COVID-19, and with insufficient knowledge of this disease. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic may result in psychological and social phobic reactions. It is advisable to offer psychological and social assistance to university students as a measure to avoid undesirable effects of coronavirus phobia on mental health and academic achievement. Keywords: Covid-19, phobia, education, university, mental health