YEAR OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC : PERCEPTION OF STRESS AND IMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OBLIGATIONS OF STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SPLIT, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Cilj istraživanja: Glavni cilj ovoga istraživanja je bio procijeniti stavove o utjecaju pandemije COVID-19 na nastavne aktivnosti i razine percipiranog stresa studenata završnih godina medicine, dentalne medicine i farmacije na Medicinskom fakultetu Sveučilišta u Splitu. Ispitanici i postupci: Istraživanje je provedeno na ukupno 140 studenata. Podaci su dobiveni putem anketnog upitnika uporabom aplikacije Google forms. Stavovi o utjecaju pandemije na nastavu ocijenjeni su putem 10 tvrdnji. Određivanje razina percipiranog stresa temeljilo se na PSS (engl. Percived Stress Scale) upitniku, a težina simptoma povezanih sa stresom po pitanju COVID-19 ocijenila se na temelju IES-COVID-19 (engl. Impact on Event Scale-COVID19) upitniku. Rezultati: Većina ispitanika je imala strah od manjka znanja uslijed nastave na daljinu i pandemije COVID-19 (68,6%). Također, većina ispitanika je bila slabije motivirana za učenje prilikom obavljanja nastave na daljinu (70,7%). Većina studenata je bila pod umjerenim razinama stresa ispitanim PSS upitnikom (61%), a među njima su studentice, u odnosu na studente imale statistički značajno viši PSS zbroj (P=0,016). Glavnina ispitanika je imala slabe traumtske simptome stresa ispitane IES-COVID-19 upitnikom (62%.), dok je manji dio imao umjerene traumatske simptome (28%), najmanji dio teške simptome (10%). Značajno viši IES-COVID-19 zbroj su imali studenti dentalne medicine i framacije nasuprot studenata medicine (P=0,006). Studenti koji su pokazali strah od manje količine znanja imali su statistički značajno više razine stresa (P<0,001) i teže simptome povezane s traumom (P=0,024) od ostalih studenata. Također, statistički značajno više studenta koji su koristili vijesti (televizija, mrežne stranice s vijestima) za informiranje o COVID-19 pandemiji, imalo je teže traumatske simptome simptome u odnosu na studente koji su koristili ostale izvore informacija (P=0,006). Zaključci: Ova studija je pokazala da COVID-19 pandemija ima negativan utjecaj na nastavne obaveze studenata. Važno je podizanje osviještenosti o utjecaju na mentalno zdravlje studenata pri mogućim budućim sličnim izazovima.Objectives: The aim of this research was to assess attitudes about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on educational activities and perceived stress levels for medical, dental and pharmacy students attending final years at the University of Split, School of Medicine Subjects and Methods: The research was conducted on 140 students. Data was obtained through a survey questionnaire using the Google forms application. Students' views about the impact of the pandemic on schooling were assessed through a 10 item questionnaire. Perceived stress was determined based on the PSS score, and the severity of COVID-19 trauma-related symptoms was assessed based on the IES-COVID-19 score. Results: Most respondents feared a lack of knowledge due to distance learning and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic (68.6%). Also, the majority of respondents were less motivated to study while conducting distance learning (70.7%). Most students were under moderate stress levels (61%). Among them, female students had significantly higher PSS score than male students (P=0.016). The majority of respondents had mild distress (62%), while a smaller number had moderate distress (28%) and minimal number had severe distress (10%). Dental and pharmacy students had significantly higher IES-COVID-19 score than medical students (P=0.006). Students who showed fear for lack of knowledge perceived significantly higher stress levels (P