Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict
Abstract Introduction Mental health is crucial for overcoming obstacles, completing tasks, and contributing to society. Mental, social, and cognitive healths are included. In demanding fields like medicine, academic pressure can cause exhaustion, poor performance, and behavioral changes. Mental heal...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02347-2 |
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| author | Ali Awadallah Saeed Ahmad Mohammad Al Zamel Abrar Abdu Abass Aisha Ahmed Mohammed Fidaaldeen Adil Abdallh Hiba Elhadi Ali Nooralain Mohammed Hassan Raad Mohammed Osman Toga Abdelmutaal Mohammed Azza Osman Yousif Lamya Bashir Eisa |
| author_facet | Ali Awadallah Saeed Ahmad Mohammad Al Zamel Abrar Abdu Abass Aisha Ahmed Mohammed Fidaaldeen Adil Abdallh Hiba Elhadi Ali Nooralain Mohammed Hassan Raad Mohammed Osman Toga Abdelmutaal Mohammed Azza Osman Yousif Lamya Bashir Eisa |
| author_sort | Ali Awadallah Saeed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Mental health is crucial for overcoming obstacles, completing tasks, and contributing to society. Mental, social, and cognitive healths are included. In demanding fields like medicine, academic pressure can cause exhaustion, poor performance, and behavioral changes. Mental health must be addressed to improve student success and well-being. Medical students’ coping strategies, anxiety, depression, and behavioral changes in uncontrollable situations will be studied. Methodology A cross-sectional study involved 393 medical students from various universities in Khartoum. Data was collected using an online questionnaire to assess mental health responses during both controllable and uncontrollable situations across all academic years. Results Data analysis using SPSS 27 indicated minimal missing data (0.25%) among the 393 participants. PHQ-4 scores assessed psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. The study found that 74.2% of participants experienced behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes. Significant associations were observed between PHQ-4 scores and these changes (p < .05) using Chi-Square testing. Most participants were females aged 20 to 22, primarily from the Medicine and Pharmacy departments. The study revealed that most individuals utilized pharmacological coping strategies following significant life changes due to uncontrollable situations. Conclusion The study highlights that women experienced stress, dissatisfaction, concern, and anger more frequently than men during ongoing war and the post-COVID-19 lockdown. Medical students faced substantial challenges in behavior, emotions, and cognition during societal unrest, including fatigue, feelings of failure, and sleep disturbances. Over 74% reported multiple changes in their emotions and behaviors. Coping strategies included nicotine, sleeping aids, socializing, exercise, venting, meditation, and journaling. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aa062468a6a847ac817f3cf3432a7483 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-aa062468a6a847ac817f3cf3432a74832025-01-19T12:43:53ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832025-01-0113111110.1186/s40359-025-02347-2Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflictAli Awadallah Saeed0Ahmad Mohammad Al Zamel1Abrar Abdu Abass2Aisha Ahmed Mohammed3Fidaaldeen Adil Abdallh4Hiba Elhadi Ali5Nooralain Mohammed Hassan6Raad Mohammed Osman7Toga Abdelmutaal Mohammed8Azza Osman Yousif9Lamya Bashir Eisa10National UniversityAl-Neelain UniversityNational UniversityNational UniversityNational UniversityNational UniversityNational UniversityNational UniversityNational UniversityNational UniversityDoud Research GroupAbstract Introduction Mental health is crucial for overcoming obstacles, completing tasks, and contributing to society. Mental, social, and cognitive healths are included. In demanding fields like medicine, academic pressure can cause exhaustion, poor performance, and behavioral changes. Mental health must be addressed to improve student success and well-being. Medical students’ coping strategies, anxiety, depression, and behavioral changes in uncontrollable situations will be studied. Methodology A cross-sectional study involved 393 medical students from various universities in Khartoum. Data was collected using an online questionnaire to assess mental health responses during both controllable and uncontrollable situations across all academic years. Results Data analysis using SPSS 27 indicated minimal missing data (0.25%) among the 393 participants. PHQ-4 scores assessed psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. The study found that 74.2% of participants experienced behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes. Significant associations were observed between PHQ-4 scores and these changes (p < .05) using Chi-Square testing. Most participants were females aged 20 to 22, primarily from the Medicine and Pharmacy departments. The study revealed that most individuals utilized pharmacological coping strategies following significant life changes due to uncontrollable situations. Conclusion The study highlights that women experienced stress, dissatisfaction, concern, and anger more frequently than men during ongoing war and the post-COVID-19 lockdown. Medical students faced substantial challenges in behavior, emotions, and cognition during societal unrest, including fatigue, feelings of failure, and sleep disturbances. Over 74% reported multiple changes in their emotions and behaviors. Coping strategies included nicotine, sleeping aids, socializing, exercise, venting, meditation, and journaling.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02347-2AnxietyDepressionMedical studentsCOVID-19WarSudan |
| spellingShingle | Ali Awadallah Saeed Ahmad Mohammad Al Zamel Abrar Abdu Abass Aisha Ahmed Mohammed Fidaaldeen Adil Abdallh Hiba Elhadi Ali Nooralain Mohammed Hassan Raad Mohammed Osman Toga Abdelmutaal Mohammed Azza Osman Yousif Lamya Bashir Eisa Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict BMC Psychology Anxiety Depression Medical students COVID-19 War Sudan |
| title | Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict |
| title_full | Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict |
| title_fullStr | Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict |
| title_short | Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict |
| title_sort | psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students a study on anxiety depression behavioral and cognitive changes post covid 19 lockdown and ongoing conflict |
| topic | Anxiety Depression Medical students COVID-19 War Sudan |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02347-2 |
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