Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the necessary social isolation and distancing measures - that were adopted to prevent spreading the virus, including the suspension of university classes - negatively impacted the mental health of young adults. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether returning to online classes, even not presential, during the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, affected the mental health of university students. Forty students (10 men and 30 women) (age, 22.3 ± 3.8 years; body mass, 62.5 ± 17.8 kg; height, 165.6 ± 8.7 cm) from undergraduate health courses participated in the study. The students answered a self-administered questionnaire designed to gather personal and quarantine information as well as information about the frequency of depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms. The questionnaire was answered before and after the return to online classes. There was a significantly lower frequency of depression symptoms after the return to online classes (Z = -2.27; p = 0.02). However, there was no difference in anxiety symptoms before and after returning to online classes (Z = -0.51; p = 0.61). Return to online classes positively impacted the mental health (decrease of frequency of depression symptoms) of university students. Future studies are needed to observe whether the changes observed after returning to school are maintained over time.
Highlights
A novel coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), emerged in late 2019 (Dhama et al, 2020; Rodriguez-Morales, Bonilla-Aldana, et al, 2020)
Returning to online educational activities had a positive effect on students’ depression levels; there were no changes in anxiety levels after the return to online educational activities; there was a significant difference in the level of restriction before and after the return to online classes, and the level of restriction was not associated with depression or anxiety level
The difference in anxiety level (GAD-7) and depression level (PHQ-9) between those who answered the questionnaires only in June 2020 and those who answered in June 2020 and August 2020 was analysed
Summary
A novel coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), emerged in late 2019 (Dhama et al, 2020; Rodriguez-Morales, Bonilla-Aldana, et al, 2020). On March 11, 2020, the Brazilian Ministry of Health published social isolation guidelines for people infected or under clinical and laboratory investigation for COVID-19 (Aquino et al, 2020). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the necessary social isolation and distancing measures – that were adopted to prevent spreading the virus, including the suspension of university classes – negatively impacted the mental health of young adults. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether returning to online classes, even not presential, during the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, affected the mental health of university students. The students answered a self-administered questionnaire designed to gather personal and quarantine information as well as information about the frequency of depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms. Conclusions: Return to online classes positively impacted the mental health (decrease of frequency of depression symptoms) of university students. Future studies are needed to observe whether the changes observed after returning to school are maintained over time
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
