Psychological Impact of COVID-19 and Lockdown among University Students in Malaysia: Implications and Policy Recommendations.

Sheela Sundarasen,Karuthan Chinna,Mohammad Nurunnabi,Heba Bakr Khoshaim,Syed Far Abid Hossain,Gul Mohammad Baloch,Kamilah Kamaludin,Areej Sukayt

doi:10.3390/ijerph17176206

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown has taken the world by storm. This study examines its impact on the anxiety level of university students in Malaysia during the peak of the crisis and the pertinent characteristics affecting their anxiety. A cross-sectional online survey, using Zung’s self-rating anxiety questionnaire was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Out of the 983 respondents, 20.4%, 6.6%, and 2.8% experienced minimal to moderate, marked to severe, and most extreme levels of anxiety. Female gender (OR = 21.456, 95% CI = 1.061, 1.998, p = 0.020), age below 18 years (OR = 4.147, 95% CI = 1.331, 12.918, p = 0.014), age 19 to 25 (OR = 3.398, 95% CI = 1.431, 8.066, p = 0.006), pre-university level of education (OR = 2.882, 95% CI = 1.212, 6.854, p = 0.017), management studies (OR = 2.278, 95% CI = 1.526, 3.399, p < 0.001), and staying alone (OR = 2.208, 95% CI = 1.127, 4.325, p = 0.021) were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety. The main stressors include financial constraints, remote online teaching and uncertainty about the future with regard to academics and career. Stressors are predominantly financial constraints, remote online learning, and uncertainty related to their academic performance, and future career prospects.

Highlights

Sheela Sundarasen 1, Karuthan Chinna 2, *, Kamilah Kamaludin 1, Mohammad Nurunnabi 1, Gul Mohammad Baloch 2, Heba Bakr Khoshaim 3, Syed Far Abid Hossain 4 and
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which started in China in December 2019, is a catastrophic calamity that has spread across the entire world at the speed of light
The main objective of this study is to determine the level of anxiety among university students in Malaysia during COVID-19 and the Movement Control Order” (MCO) period and to determine the associated demographic characteristics

Summary

Introduction

Sheela Sundarasen 1 , Karuthan Chinna 2, *, Kamilah Kamaludin 1 , Mohammad Nurunnabi 1 , Gul Mohammad Baloch 2 , Heba Bakr Khoshaim 3 , Syed Far Abid Hossain 4 and. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown has taken the world by storm. A cross-sectional online survey, using Zung’s self-rating anxiety questionnaire was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. The main stressors include financial constraints, remote online teaching and uncertainty about the future with regard to academics and career. Stressors are predominantly financial constraints, remote online learning, and uncertainty related to their academic performance, and future career prospects. The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which started in China in December 2019, is a catastrophic calamity that has spread across the entire world at the speed of light. Public health measures have been implemented in almost every country to contain the disease’s transmission [1]

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