ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the mental health of medical students due to the lockdown of colleges and educational institutions that had imposed a feeling of uncertainty and insecurity in students. Objectives: The present study aims todetermine the prevalence of stress among medical undergraduate students and its association with sleep and studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Perceived stress and sleep quality during COVID-19 pandemic was assessed among 446 undergraduate medical students using Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) tools. An online questionnaire containing questions retrieved from PSS and PSQI tools was prepared in Google Forms and was shared by e-mail to the students. The students were classified into three categories based on PSS total scores and compared for differences in sleep quality and learning difficulties. Results: The mean score of PSS was 13.38 ± 6.87. 252 (56.5%) had low perceived stress, 146 (32.7%) had moderate and 48 (10.8%) had high perceived stress. First year and final year medical students perceived more stress when compared with others. Among the 446 study participants, 34 (7.6%) reported poor sleep quality and it was significantly associated with the presence of stress (pvalue<0.001). 215 (48.2%) students had difficulty in concentrating on their studies. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in perceived stress among medical undergraduate students of which most of them had moderate perceived stress which warrants immediate action. Copyright (c) 2022: Author(s).
ABSTRACT
Background: The novel corona virus has made the world standstill. In India COVID first and second wave has created dramatic fear among the pregnant mothers and the treating obstetricians. Objectives: To study the impact of COVID-19 in pregnancy, newborn and to compare the maternal and neonatal outcome among COVID-19 negative and COVID-19 positive pregnant women during the first and second COVID wave. Materials and Method: This was a prospective study done over one year from July 2020 to July 2021 in a tertiary care hospital in South India. 400 pregnant women attending antenatal outpatient department during COVID willing to participate in the study were included. Nasopharyngeal RT-PCR was done. Socio-demographic profile, maternal and neonatal outcome were compared between non COVID and COVID positive pregnant women. Results: A total of 400 pregnant women were screened for corona virus. 75 pregnant mothers turned positive for COVID-19 and 325 were negative. Among them, 10 were positive during first wave and 65 during second wave. Of them, 20 (26.7%) were asymptomatic and 55 (73.3%) were symptomatic. During the second COVID wave, there was a rise in missed miscarriage (21.5%), intrauterine growth restriction (46.15%), oligohydramnios (53.8%) and intrauterine demise (4.6%). The rate of caesarean and neonatal intensive care unit admission also increased to 70.3% and 59.5% respectively. Conclusion: This study has found increased maternal and neonatal adverse effects associated with COVID second wave. Hence vaccine should be recommended for all pregnant women. Copyright (c) 2022: Author(s).
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 pandemic has created thelargest disruption in education systems in history. Numerous medical institutions have shifted to online teaching with the hope to reduce viral transmission. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of online teaching and traditional teaching in the domains of collaborative learning, critical thinking skills and social interaction and to describe the advantages and difficulties faced in online learning by MBBS students. Materials and Methods: Anonline-based cross-sectional study was conducted fromMay 2021 to August 2021 in a private medical college in Salem district of Tamil Nadu, India. Among the 600 MBBS students attending online classes from the first year to final year MBBS, 574 students consented tothe study through mail and were studied using a semi-structured questionnaire prepared in Google form and sent through mail. Descriptive analysis was done and the association between the categorical variables were tested using chi-square test. Results: Traditional way of teaching was perceived to improve the critical thinking skills (p <0.0006), social interaction skills (p<0.044) and collaborative learning (p <0.01) more than online teaching. Advantages of online teaching identified were comfortable learning environment (38%) easier for slow learners (19%), learning at their own pace (18%) etc. Difficulties faced in online teaching were technical difficulties (62%), lack of self-motivation (61%), time management (56%) etc. Conclusion: Challenges faced by the students need to be identified earlier and Governments/educational institutions can focus more on removing the barriers to connectivity. © 2022 Indian Society for Malaria and Communicable Diseases. All rights reserved.