MEDICAL STUDENTS AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE PANDEMIC ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Aim: it is known that healthcare students have higher rates ofdepression, anxiety and stress than the general population.The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the pandemicon healthcare students’ psychological condition, sinceCOVID-19 is considered an additional source of stress.Methods: the survey starts with an online questionnaire on theGoogle Forms platform. A link was created and subsequentlydisclosed via academic communication channels. The questionnaireconsists of 59 questions divided into 4 sections.Results: as of October 26th, responses from 334 students (91male and 243 female) had been received. The most frequent moods during the lockdown and after Covid-19 were loneliness,resignation, anxiety, boredom, nervousness, sadness,stress, insecurity and intolerance associated with an increasein states of muscle tension and bruxism and daily consumptionof cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.Conclusions: these findings highlight the need for better surveillanceof students’ psychological health through both professionalcounseling educational platforms and the collaborationwith psychologists and mental health therapists, in orderto address issues related to post-pandemic negative consequencesand moods.