Status of psychological health of students following the extended university closure in Bangladesh: Results from a web-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Students’ severe affective mental distress has emerged as significant public health attention globally because of the disastrous effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The current study aimed at exploring the prevalence of two alarming psychological distresses, depression and anxiety, among university students following a prolonged shutdown of educational institutions in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional online-based study was conducted by deploying two standard scales to assess the depression and anxiety among Bangladeshi students from various universities amid the 2nd stream of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 568 Bangladeshi university students participated in this questionnaire-based survey through various social media platforms. Frequency and percentage distribution as univariate, chi-square (χ2) test as bivariate, and logistic regression as multivariate analyses were applied to investigate the prevalence of depression and anxiety and their associated various sociodemographic factors. After cleaning and eliminating the partial data, we analyzed 465 responses, where 42% were female and 64.3% were from public universities. Both mental disorders were prevalent in more than 50% of Bangladeshi university students. The students from the private universities were two times and 2.7 times more depressed and anxious, respectively than the students from the public universities. In addition, the students who became incomeless had significantly more anxiety (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.711; p = 0.018) than those who did not lose income source during the COVID-19 lockdown. The present study revealed that more than 50% of Bangladeshi university students were suffering from depression and anxiety. Several effective measures must be assured by the concerted efforts of university authorities, educationalists, and the Government to alleviate these distressing mental health burdens.

Indiscriminate Use of Antibiotics for COVID-19 Treatment in South Asian Countries is a Threat for Future Pandemics Due to Antibiotic Resistance

“…[28][29][30][31][32][33] The impact of COVID-19 pandemic and its responses is tremendous on human life across the world. 8,[34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45] Therefore, along with COVID-19 vaccines, people in poor and developing countries might consume a myriad of antibiotics and other drugs without prescription during the COVID-19 waves. [46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55] The lessons learned from the previous pandemic should be implemented to regulate the usage of antibiotics in these countries.…”

Problematic internet use and depressive symptoms among the school‐going adolescents in Bangladesh during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study findings

“… 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 Students are sometimes unable to participate in face‐to‐face communication since they need to attend an online class. 53 , 54 , 55 This increased involvement of students in the digital world may contribute to the growth of PIU. 56 , 57 A study observed that school‐going adolescents involved more with the internet (e.g., gaming, talking, or streaming videos) are more likely to develop depressive symptoms because they are subjected to unrealistic depictions of others.…”

“…The lockdown due to COVID‐19 has increased students' engagement with internet use 46–52 . Students are sometimes unable to participate in face‐to‐face communication since they need to attend an online class 53–55 . This increased involvement of students in the digital world may contribute to the growth of PIU 56,57 .…”

Social Perspectives of COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh: A Review

“…Bangladesh has closed all of its educational institutions since March 17 th , 2020. Incoming flights from European destinations are likewise forbidden initially 57 . To curb the spread of the virus, Bangladesh has also banned all international commercial passenger flights with other nations multiple times.…”