# Impact of Coronavirus-2019 on General Health Anxiety Among Students of Iranian Medical Sciences: COVID-19 and Students’ Anxiety

## TL;DR

This study found that Iranian medical students with past medical or drug history and females experienced higher anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific risk factors for anxiety among medical students during the pandemic, emphasizing the need for targeted psychological support.

## Key findings

- Female students had significantly higher anxiety levels compared to males.
- Past medical and drug history were strongly associated with increased anxiety.
- Age, field of study, and hospital attendance did not correlate with anxiety levels.

## Abstract

During the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, Iranian medical sciences students were at higher risk of contracting this virus because they were in infected environments. So, they are predisposed to high levels of anxiety that could worsen their lives. The determent of factors and levels of anxiety could be helpful to reduce anxiety and control its worse effects. Hence, this study aimed to measure the anxiety index and its factors among medical sciences students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

In this cross-sectional study, an online survey was sent to students from 27 medical sciences universities in Iran from 20th December 2020 to 10th March 2021. The online survey consists of the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) for measured general health anxiety as well as the baseline characteristics of students.

723 students responded, including 483 (66.8%) females and mean HAI score was 16.76±8.35. Based on our findings, gender, past medical, and drug history were significantly related to the high level of anxiety. However, there was no coloration between HAI scores with age, the field of study, study duration, university location, and attendance in the hospital and/or COVID-19 ward (P˃0.05).

Students with notable past medical history and/or drug history and female students more than others were predisposed to anxiety in a pandemic such as COVID-19. Hence, in a pandemic situation, psychological care should concern them.