Anxiety Among Indian Students in Duration of Covid-19 Lockdown: A Survey Based Study

Kashif  Ali; Umamah  Mufti; Aliya  Mufti

Kashif Ali Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi
Umamah Mufti Research Scholar, Department of Environmental Sciences, Amity University, Noida, UP.
Aliya Mufti Senior Research Fellow, Department of Physiology, AIIMS, New Delhi

Keywords: Autonomic Function Test, Parasympathetic Activity, Sympathetic Activity, Healthy Subjects.

Abstract

Background: People are at risk of mental health issues due to lockdown. Indian Government enforced the stringent measures for implementing lockdown on 25^th March 2020 to protect the people from the COVID-19 pandemic infection, but universities and colleges were closed earlier. Pandemic led to psychological illnesses like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders in general public as well as in students. GAD-7 scale is a screening tool to measure anxiety. We aim to assess the anxiety levels in college students during lockdown using GAD-7 scale.

Methods: An online anonymous survey was conducted among university students to find out the level of anxiety among college students from 21^st to 31^st July 2020. They were assessed using GAD-7 score and students were grouped in various levels on the basis of their score.

Results: 55.96% of the students were found having symptoms of anxiety with 36.01% having mild anxiety, 13.99% with moderate anxiety and 5.96% with severe anxiety.

Conclusions: COVID-19 lockdown has affected mental health in all ages including students. We should focus on mental wellbeing of all age groups including students. Government should focus on anxiety and mental health of students by online counseling through its tele-education TV channels and online portals.

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