Psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on students in a French region severely affected by the disease: results of the PIMS-CoV 19 study

Abstract

The COVID-19 has sent billions of students worldwide into lockdown. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and identify the factors associated with anxiety among French students during lockdown.A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect sociodemographic data, living and learning conditions, anxiety symptoms and social support. Among 3936 students, 15.2%, experienced moderate anxiety and 9.8%, severe anxiety.Female gender (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.8-2.7) and having relatives or acquaintances from their housing hospitalized for COVID-19 (OR=3.3, 95% CI: 1.4-7.9) were the main risk factors for anxiety. Tensions at home (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.5-2.1), difficulties isolating (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), noises inside (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-1.9) or outside the housing (OR=1.5, 95% CI: 1.3-1.8), no direct outdoor access (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.0), delay in final examination (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.1), reduced time for learning (OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), increased tobacco consumption (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-2.6), ineffectiveness of using media entertainment (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.4) and reading (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.7) to calm down, were identified as risk factors. Family (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.8-0.91) and friend (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.94) support were protective factors. This suggests the need to focus on students during epidemics, especially those living with someone hospitalized with COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; mental health; social support; students.