Frontiers in Psychology (Oct 2020)

Psychological Impact of the Civil War and COVID-19 on Libyan Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

  • Muhammed Elhadi,
  • Anis Buzreg,
  • Ahmad Bouhuwaish,
  • Ala Khaled,
  • Abdulmueti Alhadi,
  • Ahmed Msherghi,
  • Ahmed Alsoufi,
  • Hind Alameen,
  • Marwa Biala,
  • Alsafa Elgherwi,
  • Fatimah Elkhafeefi,
  • Amna Elmabrouk,
  • Abdulmuez Abdulmalik,
  • Sarah Alhaddad,
  • Moutaz Elgzairi,
  • Ahmed Khaled

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.570435
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

Read online

ObjectiveWe aim to determine the psychological status of medical students during the COVID-19 outbreak and civil war in Libya.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students from 15 medical schools between April 20 and May 1, 2020. The demographic characteristics, generalized anxiety disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, and patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) results were collected.ResultsOf the 3,500 students, 2,430 completed the survey. The mean (± SD) score of anxiety symptoms determined by the GAD-7 was 7.2 (5.1). A total of 268 (11%) students had a GAD-7 score of ≥15, which is indicative of moderate to severe anxiety. A total of 1,568 (64.5%) students showed different degrees of anxiety: mild, 910 (37.5%); moderate, 390 (16%); and severe, 268 (11%). Anxiety was significantly associated with living status and internal displacement (P < 0.05). The mean (+ SD) score of depressive symptoms determined by the PHQ-9 was 9.7 (6.3). A total of 525 (21.6%) students had a PHQ-9 score of ≥15, which is indicative of moderate to severe depression. A total of 1,896 (88%) students were diagnosed with mild (PHQ ≥ 5) depression. Suicidal ideation was present in 552 patients (22.7%). Depression was only statistically associated with the year of study (P = 0.009).ConclusionThese data highlight that medical students in Libya are at risk for depression, especially under the current stressful environment of the civil war and the COVID-19 outbreak.

Keywords