Abstract:
Background
The occurrence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects the mental health situation of almost everyone, including University students who spent most of their time at
home due to the closure of the Universities. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing
depression, anxiety, stress and identifying their associated factors among university students in Ethiopia during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
We invited students to complete an online survey using Google forms comprising consent,
socio-demographic characteristics, and the standard validated depression, anxiety, and
stress scale (DASS-21) questionnaire. After completion of the survey from June 30 to July
30, 2020, we exported the data into SPSS 22. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were
computed. Associated factors were identified using binary logistic regression and variables
with a p-value <0.05 were declared as statistically significant factors with the outcome
variables.
Results
A total of 423 students completed the online survey. The prevalence of depression, anxiety,
and stress in this study was 46.3%, 52%, and 28.6%, respectively. In the multivariable
model, female sex, poor self-efficacy to prevent COVID-19, those who do not read any material about COVID-19 prevention, lack of access to reading materials about their profession, and lack of access to uninterrupted internet access were significantly associated with
depression. Female sex, lower ages, students with non-health-related departments, those
who do not think that COVID-19 is preventable, and those who do not read any materials
about COVID-19 prevention were significantly associated with anxiety. Whereas, being
female, students attending 1st and 2nd years, those who do not think that COVID-19 is preventable, presence of confirmed COVID-19 patient at the town they are living in, and lack of
access to reading materials about their profession were significantly associated with stress.
Conclusions
Depression, anxiety, and stress level among University students calls for addressing these
problems by controlling the modifiable factors identified and promoting psychological wellbeing of students.
