Mental health difficulties in students with suspected COVID-19 symptoms and students without suspected COVID-19 symptoms: A cross-sectional comparative study during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Children and youth services review Vol. 128; p. 106137
• Main Authors: Sultana, Mst. Sadia, Khan, Abid Hasan, Hossain, Sahadat, Hasan, M. Tasdik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety disorders; Bangladesh; College students; Comparative analysis; Comparative studies; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 symptoms; Depression; Fear & phobias; Fear of COVID-19; Generalized anxiety disorder; Health care management; Health education; Health problems; Medical personnel; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Pandemics; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychological intervention; PTSS; Public health; Students; Symptoms; Trauma; PTSS; Bangladesh; COVID-19 symptoms; Mental health; Depression; Anxiety; Fear of COVID-19
• ISSN: 0190-7409; 1873-7765; 0190-7409
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106137

•Prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and PTSS were higher in students with COVID-19 symptoms than their counterparts.•Having suspected COVID-19 symptoms was a significant associated factor for anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, PTSS, and fear of COVID-19.•Students with suspected COVID-19 symptoms thought more that they would be better off dead, or of hurting themselves than their counterparts.•Students with suspected COVID-19 symptoms felt more afraid as if something awful might happen (P < 0.01) than their counterparts.
Mental health problems are taking a heavy toll on students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and fear of COVID-19 between students with suspected COVID-19 symptoms and students without any suspected symptoms during the pandemic in Bangladesh.
This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted online among Bangladeshi students from May to July 2020. Anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, PTSS, and fear of COVID-19 were assessed by using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale, and Fear of COVID-19 Scale, respectively. College and University students were the participants of the study.
Among 3777 students, 1259 had suspected COVID-19 symptoms and 2518 had no suspected COVID-19 symptoms. Students who experienced suspected COVID-19 symptoms had higher prevalence (moderate to severe) of depressive symptoms (61.15% vs. 47.62%), anxiety symptoms (44.96% vs. 36.97%), and PTSS (48.3% vs. 39.75%) compared to those who had no such symptoms. The study identified having suspected COVID-19 symptoms as a significant associated factor for anxiety symptoms (β1′ = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.03–1.74), depressive symptoms (β1′ = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.43–2.32), PTSS (β1′ = 3.66; 95% CI: 2.66–4.65), and fear of COVID-19 (β1′ = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.94). Students with suspected COVID-19 symptoms thought more that they would be better off dead, or of hurting themselves (P < 0.01) and felt more afraid as if something awful might happen (P < 0.01) than their counterparts.
Mental health difficulties are more prevalent among students with suspected COVID-19 symptoms than the students without having such symptoms. This finding suggests that public health practitioners should deploy a rapid diagnostic system and consider psychological intervention in addition to clinical management for those who have COVID-19 like symptoms during the pandemic.