Psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in medical students

Authors

Keywords:

coronavirus infections, students, medical, psychology, conditioning, psychological, education

Abstract

Background: WHO considers that the threat of COVID-19 and the influence of its prevention measures are causing a strong psychological impact on societies.
Objective
: to assess the repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic in the psychosocial order in Medicine students of the "Julio Trigo López" Faculty of Medical Sciences.
Methods
: a descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out from April 2 to July 2, 2021, at Havana University of Medical Sciences. Theoretical methods were used for the foundation of the investigation and empirical ones: questionnaire to students of the Medicine degree. The variables were studied: sex, anxiety according to the generalized anxiety scale and factors that influenced the changes of personal facts.
Results
: there was a predominance of the female sex. It was found that the majority (81.7%) presented some degree of anxiety, with mild predominance, followed by moderate, the latter being more marked in the female sex. As anxiety-generating factors, academic delay predominated, followed by fear of contagion and misunderstanding by teachers. As determinant factors of changes in the personal order, the influence of the emotional given by changes in lifestyle was found.
Conclusions:
COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in the personal, psychological, and social order of medical students, marked by aspects fundamentally related to academic concerns.

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Author Biographies

Taimara Pérez Rivera, University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

Doctor in medicine. First Degree Specialist in Comprehensive General Medicine and Cardiology. Master of Science in Pharmacoepidemiology. Assistant Professor. Faculty "Julio Trigo López". Havana.

Yanitsy Chipi Rodríguez, University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

Doctor in medicine. First Degree Specialist in Comprehensive General Medicine and Cardiology. Assistant teacher. General Teaching Hospital "Enrique Cabrera". Havana.

Liliana Matos Avila, University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

Third year medical student. Faculty of Medicine "Julio Trigo López". Havana.

Yuandia Pacheco González, University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

Doctor in medicine. First Degree Specialist in Comprehensive General Medicine and Endocrinology. Assistant teacher. General Hospital "Julio Trigo López". Havana.

Leister Gerardo Acosta Queralta, University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

Degree in nursing. Doctor of Science. Associate Professor. Faculty of Medicine "Julio Trigo López". Havana.

Noemí Pérez Ramos, University of Medical Sciences of Havana.

Degree in Clinical Psychology. General Teaching Hospital "Enrique Cabrera". Havana.

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Published

2023-02-01

How to Cite

1.
Pérez Rivera T, Chipi Rodríguez Y, Matos Avila L, Pacheco González Y, Acosta Queralta LG, Pérez Ramos N. Psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in medical students. EDUMEC [Internet]. 2023 Feb. 1 [cited 2025 Jul. 1];15(1):e2279. Available from: https://revedumecentro.sld.cu/index.php/edumc/article/view/e2279

Issue

Section

ARTÍCULO ORIGINAL