E-Learning Impact on Veterinary Medical Student's Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Veterinary medical students are known to have significant levels of mental illness. The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online learning have brought increased psychological stress. We used a web-based survey to ask 415 veterinary medical students from Portugal about the impact of the pandemic and online learning on their anxiety levels. Results were analyzed using logistic regressions and Spearman's correlation. Results indicated that 15.4% had no symptoms of anxiety, 39.5% experienced mild anxiety, 21.4% had moderate anxiety, and 23.6% experienced severe anxiety. Having difficulty sleeping, the stress associated with confinement, and family conflicts were risk factors for anxiety, while being male was found to be protective. Most veterinary medical students (77%) were satisfied with online learning. The university's adaptation to online teaching and time spent participating in online classes were significantly associated with anxiety. Due to the known fragility of veterinary medical students' mental health, this group should be monitored and supported closely during life-disrupting events such as public health emergencies.

Keywords: COVID-19; generalized anxiety disorder; online learning; veterinary medical students.