Depressive Symptoms, Sleep Quality and Diet During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Epidemic in China: A Survey of Medical Students

Overview

Journal Front Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2021 Feb 12

PMID 33575239

Citations 35

Authors

Jianping Xie

Xia Li

Haiyun Luo

Liu He

Yufan Bai

Fuyun Zheng

Lanchun Zhang

Jiaqing Ma

Zhiqiang Niu

Yubing Qin

Ling Wang

Wenjie Ma

Haofei Yu

Rongping Zhang

Ying Guo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The psychological condition of medical students may be influenced by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This study investigated the prevalence and influencing factors of depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality and poor diet in students at Kunming Medical University during the early part of the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional study was used from a questionnaire survey in February 2020. Of a total of 1,026 study participants, the prevalence of depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, and poor diet was, respectively, 22.4, 33.2, and 17.4%. Male students and students with a low degree of focus on COVID-19 had a high risk of depressive symptoms. A high percentage of females and students in the fifth grade, as well as students with high levels of concern about the negative impact of COVID-19 on their education or employment, comprised those with poor sleep quality. Students in the fifth grade and students with high levels of concern about the negative impact of COVID-19 on their education or employment were more likely to report poor diet. This study suggests the importance of monitoring medical students' depressive state during the COVID-19 outbreak, and universities are encouraged to institute policies and programs to provide educational counseling and psychological support to help students to cope with these problems.

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