Medical students’ relative immunity, or lack thereof, against COVID-19 emotional distress and psychological challenges; a descriptive study from Jordan

Abstract

Background: Emotional distress is a major impact of COVID-19 among not only the general public but also healthcare workers including medical students. This study aimed at describing self-reported changes in emotional reactions associated with COVID-19 among medical students in Jordan and to assessing the potential effect of social media utilization on emotional distress among this group. Methods: A cross-sectional design was utilized to collect data early on during the outbreak in Jordan. All medical students in Jordan were eligible to complete an online questionnaire assessing self-reported emotional reactions to COVID-19 that covered four main domains: negative emotion (anxiety, worry, depression, panic, loneliness, and nervousness), positive emotion (happiness, joy, and excitement), sleep disorders (insomnia, shallow sleep, nightmares, and insufficient sleep), and aggression (verbal argument and physical fighting). The frequency of social media utilization as a main source of COVID-19 information was also assessed. Results: 59.9% of participants were females, 64.9% were enrolled at the two major medical schools in Jordan, and 59.6% were in the pre-clinical stage (years). A significant proportion of participants self-reported increased negative emotional levels of anxiety (49.2%), worry (72.4%), depression (23.1%), panic (22.6%), and nervousness (38.2%) and decreased positive emotional levels of happiness (44.8%), joy (47.3%), and feelings of excitement (45.1%). Self-reported sleep disorders were not as common (less than 15% for any of the four items), while arguing with others was at 26.7%. Significant differences by gender and academic year were detected. Almost half of participants reported using social media as a main source of COVID-19 information “most/all-the-times” with a significant effect of such on reducing emotional distress. Conclusion: The results suggest a potential effect of COVID-19 on the emotional distress of medical students. Addressing and mitigating such effects is crucial. The potential buffering effect of social media should be further investigated.

Prevalence Estimates and Risk Factors of Anxiety among Healthcare Workers in Jordan over One Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Other contributing factors to anxiety include the increase in their workload; their worries of transmitting the infection to other patients, colleagues, loved ones, and family members; the negative feelings that progressively build up as HCWs see the suffering of patients and their families; the periods of lockdown and movement restriction; and the harmful effects of the pandemic on their social support system [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Thus, HCWs are vulnerable to this psychopathological stress, increasing symptoms of depression and anxiety [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ].…”

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep health among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) populations: a systematic review of the literature

“…In Jordan, students experienced increased insomnia, shallow sleep, nightmares or insufficient sleep, and these disorders were reported in significantly more females than males. 85 …”

“…In Jordan, students experienced increased insomnia, shallow sleep, nightmares or insufficient sleep, and these disorders were reported in significantly more females than males. 85 People with chronic illnesses A total of seven cross-sectional design studies assessed sleep health among the population with special conditions. The sample size of studies ranged from 145 to 2223 participants.…”

SARS-CoV-2 Seroepidemiological Investigation in Jordan: Seroprevalence, Herd Immunity, and Vaccination Coverage. A Population-Based National Study

“…Previous studies from Jordan reported the low willingness of healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and exaggeration of emotional distress and psychological challenges among healthcare providers and medical students. [42][43][44][45] Another epidemiologically influential group in the current study was those with chronic diseases (13.4% of adult participants). Of which, about twothirds were vaccinated, and 82.1% were seropositive.…”