Psychological responses during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic among medical imaging and radiation sciences students at University of Johannesburg

Abstract: Background The problem statement identified for this research study concerns the insufficient knowledge regarding the coronavirus disease (covid-19) pandemic and the psychological impacts on the Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences students at the University of Johannesburg. Aim The aim of this study was to identify and understand the psychological responses of the coronavirus disease (covid-19) pandemic among the Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences students, where the psychological responses evaluated were depression, anxiety, and stress. The secondary aim of this study was to compare the responses of the junior students with the senior students in MIRS due to the possibility that the psychological responses experienced by the students might have been influenced by their respective academic year and workload placed onto them. Research Methodology This study was an explorative, quantitative, and contextual study that was conducted among the Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences students. The sample students were based on a non-probability, voluntary response sampling strategy. The sample consisted of 113 Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences students that participated in this survey. The sample students were invited via email to complete an online questionnaire to determine their psychological responses to the 2021 covid-19 pandemic. After permission from the relevant departments was obtained to allow the students to participate, the survey link along with the information letter were sent out to the class representatives to distribute the survey to the students. The online questionnaire was used to collect data, the data was then analysed by the researcher with the help of a Statkon statistician...M.Tech. (Chiropractic