Mental Health Issues and the Mediating Role of Anxiety Between the Contact History and Precautionary Measures among Medical Students Dealing with Contagious Diseases

Abstract

Contagious diseases like COVID-19 have caused substantial morbidity, mortality, and detrimental psychological effects. Medical workers and students are in the front line to deal any kind of diseases that are contagious. They are not only affected physically; their mental health was also affected (McAlonan, et al., 2007). Therefore, the present study was to explore the impact of contagious disease on mental health of medical students. Correctional and cross-sectional research design was used for the present study. For collection of data 522 participants based on online survey-based questionnaire were asked about the precaution measures they were using while dealing patients with contagious diseases. Further, mental health issues were assessed through DASS questionnaire. we have found that 18% sample had normal anxiety, 16% mild, 21% moderate and 31% severe respectively. The sample was having. 05%, 4%, 53%, 16.5%, and 27% extremely sever, severe, moderate, mild and normal depression. 63% sample was having normal stress, 28% mild, 7.5% moderate, 1% severe and 0.5% was having extremely severe stress. The Pearson correlation analysis has shown that contact history and precautionary measures were correlated with mental health issues of medical students. While performing the mediation analysis, it has been found that contact history predict anxiety in medical students and anxiety also appear strong predictor of precautionary measures. Further, the indirect effect has indicated that anxiety partially mediated the relationship between contact history and precautionary measures. According to the study, mental health problems have become common among medical students. Consequently, it is advised that steps be done to reduce their stress, anxiety, and sadness as these conditions may have detrimental effects in a variety of ways