FOREIGN MEDICAL STUDENTS ’ ANXIETY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID - 19 PANDEMIC

Since the mid - twentieth century, total instability and many crises has formed a tendency to exacerbate in-trapersonal conflicts, extreme emotional stress and anxiety. Studying at a medical university has always been quite dif-ficult. when we talk about foreign students. When the threat associated with COVID - 19 was to all these factors, it is not surprising that a significant in-crease in anxiety was noted in this part of the population. Contingent and research methods. Our study in-volved 63 foreign medical students of both genders. They were divided into two groups: the first was composed of 31 students with anxiety; the second covered 32 students with-out any anxiety signs. We used the clinical and psycho-pathological, clinical - anamnestic, psycho - diagnostic (hospital scale anxiety and depression HADSS) methods of research. Results. In the first group, students showed anxiety, impaired sleep, appetite and social functioning, and de-creased academic success and productivity. They also noted tensions with their parents. Only 7 students (22.6%) noted that anxiety appeared only because of the threat associated with COVID - 19. According to the HADSS score, the anxiety level was 14.1 ± 0.4 points, and the depression level was 5.7 ± 0.5 points. In the second group, students did not show clinically significant anxiety, sleep and appetite disturbances, or disturbances in social functioning. They adapted quite well to the need for distance learning; had friends, close people to whom they had the opportunity to turn for support; harmonious relationship with the parental family. According to the HADSS score, they did not produce clinically significant levels of anxiety (6.1 ± 0.8) or depression (5.8 ± 0.6). Conclusions. Thus, the study showed that anxiety was directly related not only to the COVID - 19 threat. Eco-nomic reasons, problems associated with the microsocial environment were indicated among the possible reasons; relations with the parental family, an existing close circle of friends, as resources that helped to quickly adapt to the changing learning conditions.


ABSTRACT
Since the mid-twentieth century, total instability and many crises has formed a tendency to exacerbate intrapersonal conflicts, extreme emotional stress and anxiety.
Studying at a medical university has always been quite difficult. Especially when we talk about foreign students.
When the threat associated with COVID-19 was added to all these factors, it is not surprising that a significant increase in anxiety was noted in this part of the population.
Contingent and research methods. Our study involved 63 foreign medical students of both genders. They were divided into two groups: the first was composed of 31 students with anxiety; the second covered 32 students without any anxiety signs. We used the clinical and psychopathological, clinical-anamnestic, psycho-diagnostic (hospital scale anxiety and depression HADSS) methods of research.
Results. In the first group, students showed anxiety, impaired sleep, appetite and social functioning, and decreased academic success and productivity. They also noted tensions with their parents. Only 7 students (22.6%) noted that anxiety appeared only because of the threat associated with COVID-19. According to the HADSS score, the anxiety level was 14.1 ± 0.4 points, and the depression level was 5.7 ± 0.5 points.
In the second group, students did not show clinically significant anxiety, sleep and appetite disturbances, or disturbances in social functioning. They adapted quite well to the need for distance learning; had friends, close people to whom they had the opportunity to turn for support; harmonious relationship with the parental family. According to the HADSS score, they did not produce clinically significant levels of anxiety (6.1 ± 0.8) or depression (5.8 ± 0.6).