ABSTRACT
Purpose of the study. To investigate the level of academic stress among Taif University medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine its sources. Also, to declare the difference between male and female students in this concern. Methods. The current study was conducted at Taif University, from January 15 to March 1,2021. The target population was undergraduate medical students. The Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS) was the used tool to evaluate academic stress and its sources. Four-hundred thirty-three students participated in the study, 177 (39.9%) males and 256 (60.1%) females. Results. The total score of PAS indicated mild to moderate stress. Perceptions of workload were the highest significant source of stress (moderate to severe). Pressure to perform and time restraints were the second sources of stress with a non-significant difference between them, while they resulted in significantly higher stress than the academic self-perception which demonstrated the lowest level of stress. There were non-significant differences between males and females in all four domains and the total score. Conclusion. Taif University medical students have mild to moderate academic stress. Perception of workload represents the main source of stress. There was no significant difference between the male and female sections. © 2022, DJ Studio. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the impact of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological status among Saudi adults, and whether physical activity modifies this association. The participants were 518 adults aged >=18 years (67.4% men). Using an online survey, data regarding demographic information, the impact of COVID-19 (assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5), HRQoL (Short Form-8), psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale), and physical activity behavior (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form) were collected. The results demonstrate that adults reporting moderate or high levels of impact of COVID-19 had a lower HRQoL and higher psychological distress than adults reporting a low impact. HRQoL was higher for adults reporting any level impact (low, moderate, or high) of COVID-19 when they participated in recommended levels of physical activity (>=600 metabolic equivalent (MET)-min/week of total physical activity). Psychological distress was lower for adults reporting a high level of impact when they participated in recommended physical activity. Moderate or high levels of impact of COVID-19 were associated with a significantly lower HRQoL and higher psychological distress than the low impact of COVID-19. However, these associations were moderated by the recommended levels of physical activity.