COVID-19 Pandemic: Assessment of Stress and Perception of E-Learning amongst First Year Undergraduate Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction: The coronavirus pandemic has involved nearly all the countries of the world. The lockdowns and closure of educational institutes to reduce the risk of disease transmission has brought a change in the medium of teaching as most educational institutes have moved to the online mode. There is a widespread increase in stress as the number of cases and mortality associated with Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) continue each day. Aim: To assess the stress status of first year undergraduate medical students in reference to the coronavirus pandemic and the perception of first year undergraduate medical students in reference to the E-learning being carried out during the coronavirus pandemic. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional web-based online survey that was conducted using a questionnaire in August 2020 at Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, New Delhi, India. The questionnaire was prepared and reviewed by the involved faculty members of the project and it was approved by a faculty from Department of Psychiatry. Reliability of questionnaire was measured using Cronbach’s alpha (0.89). A questionnaire with 20 questions was administered via Google forms to all 100 students of first year MBBS course. Some of the questions in the questionnaire were framed to assess the stress status of the students; some were designed to study students’ perception of E-learning. Data was represented as the percentage distribution of response for each question. Results: Ninety five responses were received, after accounting for exclusion factors; data was compiled for 91 respondents. Out of the 91 participants in the study, 48.4% were males (n=44) and 51.6% were females (n=47). Most of the students in this study (84.6%) felt that online teaching had helped in learning Physiology theory; around 43% students found online practical teaching useful. Around 39% students have reported internet connectivity issues all the time while 59% faced problem sometimes. Total 51.6% of students had difficulty in accessibility to devices. Due to coronavirus pandemic, 37.4% of students have reported to be under stress. Around 33% reported feeling unsafe all the time while 39.5% felt unsafe some of the times. Conclusion: Students found online teaching more helpful in learning Physiology theory than practical. Majority of class reported internet connectivity issues. All the responders agreed that this pandemic affected their regular life. Most of the students felt that online classes have helped them to remain positive and motivated towards study.

Questions of Well-Being and Inclusion in Online Undergraduate Medical Education During COVID-19: A 2-Phased Focused Scoping Review

“…65 As Brown 53 notes, "COVID-19 has once again teased apart the fundamental differences between the haves and the have-nots. " (p33) Based on our review of the literature, we noted disparities in material resources across the globe, including disparities in access to dependable, high-speed Internet, particularly for students in low-income families, rural areas, and/or low-resource countries 57,[66][67][68][69][70] ; appropriate devices (computers, tablets, routers) for online learning 20,27,66,[71][72][73] ; space in smaller homes 74,75 ; and electricity. 67 Regions including India, New Zealand, Nepal, and Africa faced a lack of financial support and infrastructure from governments; related lower computer literacy levels; and a lack of information technology departments, training, and support available for online UGME.…”

Nationality as an Influential Variable with Regard to the Social Skills and Academic Success of Immigrant Students

“…These include the problems of connection to the Internet, the lack of technological resources, and the scarcity of training of many teachers for the didactic use of technologies as the most notable deficits [61]. This is particularly the case in minority ethnic and cultural groups, whose migratory situation positions them, in some cases, as students at risk of social exclusion [62]. This is characterized by low economic and linguistic levels that enhance the vulnerability of these groups in online teaching [63].…”

Cognitive Distortion While Attending Online Class: Study on Banjar College Student

“…Although there are studies that reveal that online classes have helped students stay positive and motivated to learn (Gautam, Imteyaz, & Alam, 2021), the negative psychological impacts obtained from online learning are also quite common. Students also feel quite heavy pressure during online learning during the Covid19 pandemic (Lubis, Ramadhani, & Rasyid, 2021).…”