Investigating the effect of COVID-19 dissemination on symptoms of anxiety and depression among university students

Abstract

Background Evidence about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of specific subpopulations, such as university students, is needed as communities prepare for future waves. Aims To study the association of proximity of COVID-19 with symptoms of anxiety and depression in university students. Method This trend study analysed weekly cross-sectional surveys of probabilistic samples of students from the University of British Columbia for 13 weeks, through the first wave of COVID-19. The main variable assessed was propinquity of COVID-19, defined as ‘knowing someone who tested positive for COVID-19’, which was specified at different levels: knowing someone anywhere globally, in Canada, in Vancouver, in their course or at home. Proximity was included in multivariable linear regressions to assess its association with primary outcomes, including 30-day symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Results Of 1388 respondents (adjusted response rate of 50%), 5.6% knew someone with COVID-19 in Vancouver, 0.8% in their course and 0.3% at home. Ten percent were overwhelmed and unable to access help. Knowing someone in Vancouver was associated with an 11-percentage-point increase in the probability of 30-day anxiety symptoms (s.e. 0.05, P ≤ 0.05), moderated by gender, with a significant interaction of the exposure and being female (coefficient −20, s.e. 0.09, P ≤ 0.05). No association was found with depressive symptoms. Conclusions Propinquity of COVID-19 cases may increase the likelihood of anxiety symptoms in students, particularly among men. Most students reported coping well, but additional support is needed for an emotionally overwhelmed minority who report being unable to access help.

Psychological Distress among Students in Higher Education: One Year after the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This will require appropriate training and the availability of psychological and emotional support. Additional care will also be required for those students who proved unable to access help [ 45 ]. It seems essential to mobilize, extend, implement and perpetuate in the long term, within the institutions themselves, services working for the well-being of students, reinforced coaching systems, and systematic recourse to available aid (thus promoting the destigmatization of young people in difficulty).…”

Rapid Onset Functional Tic‐Like Behaviors in Young Females During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

“…In some cases, the patients specifically identified a link between these media exposures and the onset of symptoms, although, with some of the younger children, the social media use was only disclosed after careful questioning. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major source of stress and anxiety for people around the world, resulting in increased mental health symptoms and demand for mental health services (14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Increased social isolation and the widespread utilization of social media may have contributed as precipitating factors in a relevant proportion of these patients.…”

“…The COVID‐19 pandemic has been a major source of stress and anxiety for people globally, resulting in increased mental health symptoms and demand for mental health services. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 Increased social isolation and the widespread utilization of social media may have contributed as precipitating factors in a relevant proportion of these patients. External factors like watching popular social media personalities' videos portraying tics or tic‐like behaviors may have instilled a belief that “tics” may catalyze peer acceptance or even popularity.…”

A Comparison of Depression and Anxiety among University Students in Nine Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Students also shifted their main concerns from learning-related to financial and/or health-related matters [46]. Recent studies showed that exposure to COVID-19-related mat-ters may increase the risk of anxiety symptoms in students (particularly among men) [47]. Physical activity constitutes the next key predictor of mental health problems.…”