MEDICAL STUDENTS AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE PANDEMIC ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Aim: it is known that healthcare students have higher rates of depression, anxiety and stress than the general population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the pandemic on healthcare students’ psychological condition, since COVID-19 is considered an additional source of stress. Methods: the survey starts with an online questionnaire on the Google Forms platform. A link was created and subsequently disclosed via academic communication channels. The questionnaire consists of 59 questions divided into 4 sections. Results: as of October 26th, responses from 334 students (91 male and 243 female) had been received. The most frequent moods during the lockdown and after Covid-19 were loneliness, resignation, anxiety, boredom, nervousness, sadness, stress, insecurity and intolerance associated with an increase in states of muscle tension and bruxism and daily consumption of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. Conclusions: these findings highlight the need for better surveillance of students’ psychological health through both professional counseling educational platforms and the collaboration with psychologists and mental health therapists, in order to address issues related to post-pandemic negative consequences and moods.