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BMC psychology
Jan 14, 2025;13 (1): 37.

Psychological impact and coping mechanisms among sudanese medical students: a study on anxiety, depression, behavioral, and cognitive changes post COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing conflict.

Ali Awadallah Saeed, Ahmad Mohammad Al Zamel, Abrar Abdu Abass, Aisha Ahmed Mohammed, Fidaaldeen Adil Abdallh, Hiba Elhadi Ali, Nooralain Mohammed Hassan, Raad Mohammed Osman, Toga Abdelmutaal Mohammed, Azza Osman Yousif, Lamya Bashir Eisa
Author Information
  1. Ali Awadallah Saeed: National University, Khartoum, Sudan. alimhsd@gmail.com.
  2. Ahmad Mohammad Al Zamel: Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan. ahmadzamel33@gmail.com.
  3. Abrar Abdu Abass: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  4. Aisha Ahmed Mohammed: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  5. Fidaaldeen Adil Abdallh: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  6. Hiba Elhadi Ali: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  7. Nooralain Mohammed Hassan: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  8. Raad Mohammed Osman: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  9. Toga Abdelmutaal Mohammed: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  10. Azza Osman Yousif: National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
  11. Lamya Bashir Eisa: Doud Research Group, Khartoum, Sudan.
PMID: 39810254 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-02347-2

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Mental health is crucial for overcoming obstacles, completing tasks, and contributing to society. Mental, social, and cognitive healths are included. In demanding fields like medicine, academic pressure can cause exhaustion, poor performance, and behavioral changes. Mental health must be addressed to improve student success and well-being. Medical students' coping strategies, anxiety, depression, and behavioral changes in uncontrollable situations will be studied.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study involved 393 medical students from various universities in Khartoum. Data was collected using an online questionnaire to assess mental health responses during both controllable and uncontrollable situations across all academic years.
RESULTS: Data analysis using SPSS 27 indicated minimal missing data (0.25%) among the 393 participants. PHQ-4 scores assessed psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. The study found that 74.2% of participants experienced behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes. Significant associations were observed between PHQ-4 scores and these changes (p < .05) using Chi-Square testing. Most participants were females aged 20 to 22, primarily from the Medicine and Pharmacy departments. The study revealed that most individuals utilized pharmacological coping strategies following significant life changes due to uncontrollable situations.
CONCLUSION: The study highlights that women experienced stress, dissatisfaction, concern, and anger more frequently than men during ongoing war and the post-COVID-19 lockdown. Medical students faced substantial challenges in behavior, emotions, and cognition during societal unrest, including fatigue, feelings of failure, and sleep disturbances. Over 74% reported multiple changes in their emotions and behaviors. Coping strategies included nicotine, sleeping aids, socializing, exercise, venting, meditation, and journaling.

Keywords

Anxiety COVID-19 Coping Depression Medical students Sudan War

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MeSH Term

Humans
Students, Medical
COVID-19
Female
Adaptation, Psychological
Male
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression
Anxiety
Young Adult
Adult
Sudan
Stress, Psychological
Surveys and Questionnaires
Cognition
Journal Article

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0changesstudybehavioralMentalhealthcognitiveMedicalcopingstrategiesanxietydepressionuncontrollablesituationsstudentsusingparticipantsincludedacademic393medicalDataamongPHQ-4scoresexperiencedongoinglockdownemotionsCopingCOVID-19INTRODUCTION:crucialovercomingobstaclescompletingtaskscontributingsocietysocialhealthsdemandingfieldslikemedicinepressurecancauseexhaustionpoorperformancemustaddressedimprovestudentsuccesswell-beingstudents'willstudiedMETHODOLOGY:cross-sectionalinvolvedvariousuniversitiesKhartoumcollectedonlinequestionnaireassessmentalresponsescontrollableacrossyearsRESULTS:analysisSPSS27indicatedminimalmissingdata025%assessedpsychologicaldistressfound742%emotionalSignificantassociationsobservedp <05Chi-Squaretestingfemalesaged2022primarilyMedicinePharmacydepartmentsrevealedindividualsutilizedpharmacologicalfollowingsignificantlifedueCONCLUSION:highlightswomenstressdissatisfactionconcernangerfrequentlymenwarpost-COVID-19facedsubstantialchallengesbehaviorcognitionsocietalunrestincludingfatiguefeelingsfailuresleepdisturbances74%reportedmultiplebehaviorsnicotinesleepingaidssocializingexerciseventingmeditationjournalingPsychologicalimpactmechanismssudanesestudents:postconflictAnxietyDepressionSudanWar

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