Anxiety among the Sudanese university students during the initial stage of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Since the emergence of the novel coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), many people were facing daily life changes that could predispose them to anxiety. For the Sudanese university students, the situation is even more complicated because of the limited availability of online learning and the difficult economic situation of the country. The objective of this study is to assess the students' anxiety levels. The method we used was a cross-section of the university students in Sudan using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique to assess their anxiety level using Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) during the COVID-19 pandemic through an online self-administered questionnaire. Results indicated that of the 478 participants, 75.1% had a low anxiety level, 15.5% had a moderate anxiety level and 9.4% had a potentially concerning level of anxiety. Experiencing no symptoms during the past 14 days was associated with a low level of anxiety. Moreover, experiencing fever, sore throat, and myalgia or fatigue were associated with low to moderate anxiety levels among the participants. While having a relative or a friend diagnosed or suspected with the disease or having headache were associated with a low anxiety level, Thus the conclusion was that not complying with the curfew measures, and the preventive etiquette of covering mouth while coughing or sneezing were associated with potentially concerning levels of anxiety while experiencing fever, sore throat and myalgia were associated with moderate anxiety levels. More research should be conducted to study the psychological influences of pandemics on students in developing countries.

Keywords: Anxiety; Coronavirus; Physical distancing; Public mental health.

Figure 1

Anxiety levels among university students (N = 478).