Factors related to mental health problems in nursing students: a multicenter study

• Published in: Cuidarte 2024-01, Vol.15 (2), p.1-13
• Main Authors: Tiga-Loza, Diana Carolina, Arboleda de Pérez, Ligia Betty, Ramírez-Cruz, María Ángela, Cordero, Rocío de Diego
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Colleges & universities; COVID; COVID-19; Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente; Distance learning; Estudantes de Enfermagem; Estudiantes de Enfermería; Mental depression; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Nursing; Nursing education; Pandemics; Patient Health Questionnaire; Post traumatic stress disorder; Questionário de Saúde do Paciente; Salud Mental; Saúde Mental; Social support; Sociodemographics; Students; Transtornos Mentais; Trastornos Mentales; University students
• ISSN: 2216-0973; 2346-3414; 2346-3414
• DOI: 10.15649/cuidarte.3296

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought consequences to the mental health of the undergraduate population of nursing programs. Objective: To identify the factors associated with mental health disturbances among university students in nursing programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic among students enrolled in nursing programs at two Colombian universities and one Spanish university. An online sociodemographic, economic, and personal survey was administered along with the GHQ-12, the Family APGAR, the MOS Social Support Survey, and the IES-R for posttraumatic stress. The prevalence of mental health disturbances and their differences according to the characteristics of the students were estimated; prevalence ratios were also obtained. Results: Of the 302 students, a prevalence of clinically significant mental was found in 61.92%, family dysfunction in 61.58%, and low social support in 9.33%. In addition, 44.46% had posttraumatic stress symptoms, 52.65% had economic difficulties, 54.61% had academic difficulties, and 69.87% had personal difficulties. These mental disturbances were frequent in the presence of moderate family dysfunction (PR=1.77 CI95%=1.15;2.73), difficulty in paying for food (PR=1.35 CI95%=1.09;1.67), a breakup with a partner (PR=1.27 CI95%=1.02;1.59) and clinically relevant posttraumatic stress symptoms (PR=1.69 CI95%=1.28;2.24). Discussion: Psychological distress and its related factors found in nursing students agree with other findings in the literature. Conclusion: A significant proportion of nursing students were affected in their mental health during the pandemic, demonstrating the need for systematic, continuous, and comprehensive strategies by educational institutions.