Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

January 13, 2021

Anxiety, Depression, and Health Anxiety in Undergraduate Students Living in Initial US Outbreak “Hotspot” during COVID-19 Pandemic

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A cross-sectional study of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of undergraduates (n=641) in a heavily impacted area in the US (New Jersey) found that nearly half (46%) of the students reported elevated psychological distress, including health anxiety (30%), general anxiety (22%), and depression (25%). Clinically-elevated general anxiety was associated with more common among females (OR=2.2), those with a COVID-19 case in their immediate social network (OR=2.3), students with underlying medical vulnerabilities (OR=2.0), and those with a recent experience of ≥3 viral symptoms (OR=3.4). Vigilance to viral symptoms and worry about coronavirus were also factors associated with more severe psychological distress.

Kibbey et al. (Jan 12, 2021). Anxiety, Depression, and Health Anxiety in Undergraduate Students Living in Initial US Outbreak “Hotspot” during COVID-19 Pandemic. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33433271