SCREENING ON THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE MENTAL WELLBEING OF STUDENTS AND STAFF AT UNISHAMS, KEDAH

The study determines the level of anxiety, depression and stress among students and staff of UniSHAMS during COVID-19. It is based on their mental wellbeing during COVID-19 and distress that affect people based on few events. The study design is cross sectional, analytical study and prospective descriptive. The respondents are anonymous but focusing on age group, gender as well as education level only. For inclusion, respondents from UniSHAMS and for exclusion, respondents from non-Malaysian studying at UniSHAMS. The questionnaire’s developed with the help of expert and Cronbach’s Alpha (.898). Results have revealed that there is significant relationship between depression and gender (1, N = 383) = 21.127, p = .000. Besides that, there is significant relationship between depression level and age group (4, N = 383) = 32.068, p = .000. Next, there is significant relationship between anxiety level and gender (1, N = 383) = 9.558, p = .002. There is also a significant relationship between anxiety level and age group (4, N = 383) = 29.026, p = .000. For stress level, there is a significant relationship between stress level and gender (1, N = 383) = 8.941, p = .003. Finally, there is a significant relationship between stress level and age group (4, N = 383) = 48.473, p = .000. This clearly showed that students and staff of UniSHAMS are having some issues with their mental wellbeing during COVID-19, thus screening and preventive measures should be taken to help defeat these. Generally, students and staff of UniSHAMS have poor mental wellbeing and a collaborative effort between authorities/the government and other stakeholders is necessary to effectively provide help to these groups.

1. World Health Organization (2011). Global burden of mental disorders and the need for a comprehensive, coordinated response from health and social sectors at the country level. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB130/B130_9-en.pdf.
2. Raaj, S., Navanathan, S., Tharmaselan, M., & Lally, J. (2021). Mental disorders in Malaysia: an increase in lifetime prevalence. BJPsych international, 18(4), 97–99. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2021.4.
3. Institute for Public Health. National Health and Morbidity Survey 2017: Adolescent Health Survey 2017. Malaysia. Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2017.
4. Mofatteh M. (2020). Risk factors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression among university undergraduate students. AIMS public health, 8(1), 36–65. https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2021004.
5. Miron O, Yu KH, Wilf-Miron R, et al. Suicide Rates Among Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States, 2000–2017. JAMA. 2019;321:2362–2364.
6. Institute for Public Health. National Health & Morbidity Survey 2015. Volume II: Non-Communicable Diseases, Risk Factors & Other Health Problems. Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2015.