Open AccessCOVID-19 - The invisible enemy: impacts on students' mental health and coping strategies
Author(s) -
Ana Lúcia Basílio Carneiro,
Semírames Cartonilho de Souza Ramos,
Arthur Willian de Lima Brasil,
Lindair Alves da Silva,
Gleydson Grangeiro de Lima,
Lincoln Basilio Alves,
Mariaunes Azevedo de Melo,
Conceição de Maria Bezerra de Melo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
research, society and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2525-3409
DOI - 10.33448/rsd-v10i1.12144
Subject(s) - loneliness , mental health , anxiety , social isolation , coping (psychology) , psychology , sadness , pandemic , population , social distance , public health , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , covid-19 , disease , environmental health , nursing , anger , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unexpected historical event with an impact on all aspects of life - especially those of an occupational and mental nature. In a few months, it has altered daily life and social relations and, in addition to social distancing, isolation or quarantine, the world's population has to live with fear, insecurity and human and economic losses. Young people, particularly young women with a psychiatric history and no social support, are more vulnerable to the psycho-emotional consequences of the pandemic. The objective of this study was to observe the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of students and their coping strategies. This was an observational study with a quantitative and cross-sectional method. The sample consisted of health students from a public university in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. Participants were recruited from the digital platforms in June 2020, a period of social isolation. The link to the Google forms questionnaire was made available on Instagram and WhatsApp. A total of 56 students, most of them women, answered the questionnaire. The most prevalent symptoms during social isolation were anxiety (76.8%), concern (71.4%), fear (62.5%), insomnia (60.7%) and sadness (55.4%). Anxiety, depression, and hopelessness symptoms were more prevalent in younger female students with negative health perception. Complementary therapies and conversations with friends and family stand out as coping strategies. Mental health demands a convergence of efforts and institutional actions are needed to manage the psycho-emotional and neurobiological impact of COVID-19 in an integrated and integral way.