Coping strategies of Nigerian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: This study assessed the coping strategies of Nigerian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design: We conducted an online descriptive cross-sectional study among medical and dental students attending three of the largest Colleges of Medicine in the Southwestern zone of Nigeria.Settings: Our study involved students across the pre-clinical and clinical levels of the three Colleges of Medicine.Participants: We selected the respondents through a purposive sampling technique and disseminated questionnaires applied using an online survey platform (Google forms https://forms.gle/19yfEzehJKwsme759). A total of 1010 par-ticipants out of 2404 eligible students completed the questionnaires accurately, giving a response rate of 42%.Methods: The Brief-COPE questionnaire assessed the participants' coping strategies (approach and avoidant) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a bivariate analysis using the chi-square test and multiple regression analysis (p< 0.05) to determine the predictors of avoidant coping strategies.Results: Respondents mean age was 21.8±2.9 years, results were presented as Odds Ratios(OR) at 95% confidence intervals(CI). About 95% of respondents employed an approach coping strategy, while the minority(5%) adopted an avoidant coping strategy. Females were three times more likely to employ an avoidant coping strategy (OR=3.32 (95% CI 1.67-6.21) compared to male students.Conclusion: This study reveals that the majority of the respondents employed an approach coping strategy towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Females were more likely to employ an avoidant coping strategy. We recommend gender-specific programs to help medical students cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stress Coping Strategies Amidst Preparation For Examinations: An Analytical Study Among Undergraduate Medical Students

“…A study done in a private medical university in Nigeria, reported high perceived stress among first year medical students with females being more affected [14]. In another Nigerian medical school, about 95% of the students were known to have adopted some stress-coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic [15].…”

Lived Experiences of Hospitality Management Students on Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning Process: A Transcendental Phenomenology

“…Despite these challenges, hospitality management students have demonstrated remarkable adaptability and resilience, continuously adjusting their academic pursuits (Hicks et al, 2023;Moriarty et al, 2021). They have reflected on their learning process with introspection, maintaining a positive self-perception (Ardıç et al, 2022;Aznam et al, 2022), and shown adaptability and resourcefulness in adjusting their learning experiences to meet the demands of the new normal (Vidas et al, 2021;Adaramola et al, 2022). However, these adjustments have not been without challenges and disappointments, as students grapple with the limitations imposed by the pandemic on their learning journey (Mahadi et al, 2022;Angelopoulou et al, 2022).…”

Factors affecting the University Students’ Mental Health during the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak

“…, who described religious participation as a coping mechanism against the COVID-19 pandemic Adaramola et al (2022). stressed the value of practical coping methods in minimizing negative emotions and alleviating the load of difficult circumstances.…”