The Prevalence of Anxiety and its Associated Factors among Medical Interns during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Iran
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Background: Since the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak, medical personnel have undergone a considerable amount of physical and mental pressure. Medical interns (MIs) are a distinct population of healthcare workers. In Iran, MIs refers to senior medical students who are undergoing their clinical training.
Aim: We aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety due to COVID-19 among MIs and identify personal factors associated with anxiety.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out during April 18th to 24th, 2021. An online questionnaire containing a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS) was sent to all of the 679 MIs of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran, through WhatsApp© messenger and 420 individuals (62% response rate) were enrolled in the study voluntarily. Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s HSD post hoc test were conducted using SPSS software to identify the predictive factors for anxiety.
Results: The results showed that 70.2% of the participants had no or mild anxiety, 25% had moderate, and 4.8% had severe anxiety. The most significant factors associated with anxiety were female gender (p < 0.001) and living with parents (P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between single and married groups (P = 0.42).
Conclusion: It is suggested that medical universities and the government collaborate to provide an adequate psychological service for MIs, focusing on female interns who are living with their family members.
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