Psychological response and perception to lockdown among keralites during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Background: Kerala, which has a population density of 860 people per square kilometre, has been able to significantly curb the spread of COVID-19. This was a result of people in the State, politics, and social settings. Previous outbreaks showed that psychological symptoms could be severe and last longer than physical illness. This study examines the sources of information as well as the peritraumatic distress, attitude towards lockdown. Methods: 2335 individuals under lockdown were given a 32-item questionnaire over the internet from March to August 2020. This covers demographic data, days spent in quarantine, attitude, and awareness, adherence to lockdown procedures, and PDI for measuring psychological distress. Overall score was calculated and associations found using the Chi-square test in SPSS 20. Results: The average quarantine period lasted 10.12 days. 77.9% of individuals reported high stress, with a mean PDI score of 47.73. The psychological distress was more severe for those who were female and were placed in quarantine. The PDI score has associations with gender, education, health care access, loneliness, and the propensity to not adhere to lockdown measures. 89% of the responders expressed concern for their safety. We discovered that being in quarantine had a significant association with loneliness, concern about getting medical care, and resource accessibility. Conclusions: The population had high levels of perceived stress during the pandemic. The detrimental effects of COVID-19 do not just fit into morbidity and mortality but have wider implications for mental health issues that require proper attention.

Academic passion, perceived stress and sleep quality evaluated among medical students of private medical colleges in North Kerala

Background: Passionate doctors are required for a better health care system. Increased professional and academic requirements increase risk of developing stress and sleep disruption. This study aims to determine the academic passion, stress and sleep quality among medical students and explore the associations among them, which helps to create awareness to improve the mental and physical health of future doctors. Methods: This cross-sectional study among 649 MBBS students was done at 3 private medical colleges in North Kerala during 2019-2020 using a semi-structured 31-item questionnaire containing 4 sections: socio-demographic information, academic passion, perceived stress, and sleep quality. Data collected in 30 minutes from study participants in campus setting was entered in MS excel and analyzed using SPSS-20. Result: A 61.6% were women and 38.4% were men. 48% had chosen the profession because of parental pressure, relatives and friends. 51% were passionate about the medical profession. 69% of students were under high perceived stress (mean PSI score 33.54±8.71 SD). 48% of students were poor sleepers (mean PSQI score 6.11±3.45). A 15.6% of participants relied on medication for sleep at least once a month. Passion showed a significant association with stress (p<0.001) and sleep (p<0.001). Passionate students had less perceived stress and lower sleep quality. Conclusions: Apart from one's own desire, other factors influenced students to choose MBBS. Only half of the participants were passionate. There is a high prevalence of stress and poor sleep quality among medical students. Passion has an imperative role in one’s life quality.