Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students during the covid-19 pandemic

• Published in: Nurse education in practice 2020-07, Vol.46, p.102809-102809, Article 102809
• Main Authors: Savitsky, Bella, Findling, Yifat, Ereli, Anat, Hendel, Tova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety disorders; College students; Coping; Coping strategies; Coronavirus disease 2019; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronaviruses; Country of birth; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disengagement; Distance learning; Epidemics; Factor analysis; Fear & phobias; Female; Generalized anxiety disorder; Health facilities; Humans; Humor; Infections; Israel - epidemiology; Male; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing education; Nursing Students; Pandemic; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Questionnaires; Resilience; Stress; Students; Students, Nursing - psychology; Students, Nursing - statistics & numerical data; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Uncertainty; Variables; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-5953; 1873-5223; 1873-5223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102809

Anxiety is highly prevalent among nursing students even in normal circumstances. In Israel during the covid-19 pandemic and mandatory lockdown, nursing students encountered a new reality of economic uncertainty, fear of infection, challenges of distance education, lack of personal protection equipment (PPE) at work etc. The objective of this study was to assess levels of anxiety and ways of coping among nursing students in the Ashkelon Academic College, Southern District, Israel. A cross-sectional study was conducted among all 244 students in the nursing department during the third week of a national lockdown. Anxiety level was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale with a cut-off point of 10 for moderate and of 15 for severe anxiety. Factor analysis was used to identify coping components. The prevalence of moderate and severe anxiety was 42.8% and 13.1% respectively. Gender, lack of PPE, and fear of infection were significantly associated with a higher anxiety score. Stronger resilience and usage of humor were associated with significantly lower anxiety levels, while mental disengagement with higher anxiety levels. The nursing department's staff may contribute in lowering student anxiety by maintaining a stable educational framework, providing high quality distant teaching and encouraging and supporting students through this challenging period. •Anxiety is highly prevalent among nursing students even in normal circumstances.•The prevalence of moderate and severe anxiety during the covid-19 pandemic was 43% and 13% respectively.•Female gender and lack of PPE at work were significantly associated with higher anxiety scores.•Stronger resilience and usage of humor were associated with significantly lower anxiety levels.•Mental disengagement (alcohol, sedative drugs usage and excessive eating) was associated with higher anxiety levels.