Anxiety disorders among pre-clinical students during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Copperbelt province of Zambia

ABSTRACT

Background: Anxiety is one of the commonest mental health challenges facing medical students. Levels of anxiety have not been estimated among medical students in Zambia. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of anxiety disorders and its associated factors among pre-clinical students during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Copperbelt province of Zambia. Materials and Methods: A sample size of 398 students was sampled using a 1 in 2 systematic random sampling technique. The Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was used to determine levels of anxiety. Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) and their 95% Confidence Interval (CI) are reported.