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Psychosocial is defined as pertaining to the influence of social factors on an individual’s mind or behavior, and to the interrelation of behavioral and social factors’ (Oxford English Dictionary, 2012). Psychosocial factors, in the context of health research, can be defined as the mediation of the effects of social structural factors on individual health, conditioned and modified by the social structures contexts in which they exist (Martikainen, Bartley, & Lahelma, 2002).
Psychosocial students’ mental health in State Universities has been an increasing concern in our present times as the COVID-19 pandemic situation has brought this susceptible population into a restored focus. Mental health issues are the leading encumbrance to academic success. Mental illness can affect students’ motivation, concentration, and social interactions crucial factors for students to succeed in their education.
A large number of studies support that the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and its corresponding disease (COVID-19) have dramatically impacted people’s mental health and behavior, with very few studies suggesting otherwise. Some medical facilities have seen more deaths from suicide, presumably because of exceedingly poor mental health, than from COVID-19 infections. Substance disorders in many people who were previously sobriety are expected to relapse during COVID-19, which will cause long-term economic and health impacts.
Although impacts are felt across populations and especially in socially-disadvantaged communities and individuals employed as essential workers’ college students are among the most strongly affected by COVID-19 because of uncertainty regarding academic success, future careers, and social life during college, among other concerns. Even before the pandemic, students across the globe experienced increasing levels of anxiety, depressive moods, lack of self-esteem, psychosomatic problems, substance abuse, and suicidality. Therefore, students may need additional resources and services to deal with the physical and mental health repercussions of the disease.
The 2019 Annual Report of the Center for Collegiate Mental Health announced that anxiety continues to be the most common problem among students who completed the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms, with clinicians also reporting that anxiety continues to be the most common diagnosis of the students that seek services at university counseling centers.
In 2018, slightly over 50% of students reported anxiety as the main reason for seeking services. Despite the increasing need for mental health care services at post-secondary institutions, alarmingly only a small portion of students committing suicide contact their institution counseling centers, perhaps due to the slur associated with mental health. Such negative slur surrounding mental health diagnosis and care has been found to correlate with a reduction in adherence to treatment and even early termination of treatment.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the mental health of various affected populations. It is known that the prevalence of epidemics accentuates or creates new stressors including fear and worry for oneself or loved ones, constraints on physical movement and social activities due to quarantine, and sudden and radical lifestyle changes. A recent review of virus outbreaks and pandemics documented stressors such as infection fears, frustration, boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and slur.
Much of the current literature on the psychological impacts of COVID-19 has emerged from the earliest hot spots in China. Although several studies have assessed mental health issues during epidemics, most have focused on health workers, patients, children, and the general population. For example, a recent poll by The Kaiser Family Foundation showed that 47% of those sheltering in place reported negative mental health effects resulting from worry or stress related to COVID-19. Nelson et al have found elevated levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms among general population samples in North America and Europe. However, with the exception of a few studies, notably from China, there is sparse evidence of the psychological or mental health effects of the current pandemic on college students, who are known to be a vulnerable population. Although the findings from these studies far converge on the increase of mental health issues among college students, the contributing factors may not necessarily be generalizable to populations in other countries. As highlighted in multiple recent correspondences, there is an urgent need to assess the effects of the current pandemic on the mental health and social well-being of college students.
The aim of this study is to identify major stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand their effects on college student’s mental health. The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic poses a threat to societies’ mental health. This study will examine the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms and identify the factors contributing to the psychosocial effect of the Pandemic in the Philippines.
As the virus spreads globally, studies on the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have accumulated among different nations. Italian series of studies have reported that the COVID-19 pandemic was an important stressor comparable to a traumatic event.
Stress is a physiological, psychological, and behavioral process that occurs in individuals as a response to environmental stimuli. Previous studies have demonstrated that stress causes various mental health problems. Although moderate pressure is beneficial to stimulate individual protective behaviors and improve environmental adaptability by developing a warning system, long-term or intense stress causes psychological impairment and physical disease. This phenomenon has been explained through a stress system model, which suggests that adverse life events (stressors) can directly lead to individual stress responses or indirectly affect an individual’s physical and mental health through their coping style, social support, personality traits, and awareness.
Coping style refers to individuals’ cognitive and behavioral efforts to maintain mental balance in stressful situations. Previous studies demonstrated that coping style functions as a mediator between stress and psychological health. Adopting appropriate coping strategies against stressful situations is positively linked to the quality of life. Additionally, the role of coping strategies in medical settings has been well-documented. For example, task-based coping strategies appear to prevent the onset of depressive symptoms and help reduce the severity of hypertension. Disease awareness (which refers to the self-evaluation of knowledge about disease transmission, common symptoms, potential treatment, and risk factors associated with the disease) is critical to control and prevent COVID-19.
Furthermore, having knowledge about a specific disease can influence individuals’ perceptions and behavior towards it. Earlier studies have shown that a higher level of COVID-19 knowledge is beneficial for the public to maintain an optimistic attitude and maintain appropriate preventive measures and care-seeking behaviors. Additionally, research during the SARS outbreak suggests that the public’s knowledge was associated with a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, fear, and panic. Limited disease knowledge may aggravate psychological distress and emotional responses. Therefore, coping styles and disease awareness play a significant role in handling the psychological stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. There is already extensive literature regarding mental health and psychosocial distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in terms of survey tools, most studies have used general scales (such as the Symptom Checklist-90 or the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale) rather than scales specifically targeted for public health emergencies. Further, although researchers have conducted nationwide surveys in China, information on specific regions remains limited. Understanding the potential psychological changes associated with the pandemic among College students in PSU is essential to improve individuals’ mental health through targeted interventions.
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