Impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health of graduate students in the health area of a university in Ceará, Brazil

Abstract

Graduate students experience an environment of intense demands. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the suspension of face-to-face academic activities, affecting the daily lives of these people. This study aimed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of stricto sensu graduate students in the health area of a public university in Ceará regardind the use of antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs. This cross-sectional, descriptive study uses a remote questionnaire from August 2021 to February 2022.
Socio-demographic, clinical, medication use, and data from the “Self-Report Questionnaire” test were collected. 217 master’s and doctoral students participated in the study, most of them female (71%), between 21 and 30 years old (55.3%) and without children (76.5%). The results showed an increase in the number of graduate students with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression after the pandemic (23.4%). Among the main symptoms, there is a strong indication of mental suffering (60.4%), nervousness, tension or concern (77.9%), sadness (55.3%), difficulties in carrying out daily activities with satisfaction (55.4%), and tiredness (65%). These symptoms were most prevalent among women. Regarding medication use (anxiolytics/antidepressants), 38.2% responded positively. Of these, 40.9% increased the dosage, and 79.5% experienced adverse reactions. In this way, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected graduate students’ mental health, reinforcing the need for universities to develop strategies to mitigate these students’ emotional suffering.