Impact of the coronavirus disease on the mental health and physical activity of pharmacy students at the University of Zambia: a cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Steward Mudenda Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia Department of Disease Control, University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Moses Mukosha Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Chiluba Mwila Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Zikria Saleem Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, the University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Aubrey Chichoni Kalungia Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Derick Munkombwe Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Victor Daka Department of Disease Control, University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia Copperbelt University, Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine, Ndola, Zambia
  • Bwalya Angel Witika Department of Pharmacy, DDT College of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana
  • Martin Kampamba Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Christabel Nang’andu Hikaambo Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Mohammad Jaffar Sadiq Department of Pharmacology, Batterjee Medical College for Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • Misheck Chileshe Mary Begg Health Services, 56 Chintu Avenue, Northrise, Ndola, Zambia; 8Zhengzhou University, College of Public Health, Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
  • Maisa Kasanga Zhengzhou University, College of Public Health, Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
  • Webrod Mufwambi Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Ruth Lindizyani Mfune Department of Disease Control, University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia Copperbelt University, Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine, Ndola, Zambia
  • Scott Kaba Matafwali Copperbelt University, Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine, Ndola, Zambia
  • Paul Odlon Masebe Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Lungwani Tyson Muungo Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Angela Gono Bwalya Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Ronald Mutati Kampamba Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Ellah Zingani Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • David Chimbizgani Banda Department of Nursing, Chreso University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Edgar John Sintema School of Doctoral Studies, Universidad de Valladolid, Spain
  • Akash Gupta Department of Management Studies, Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  • Noor Mohammed Abdulrahman Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Basrah, College of Pharmacy, Iraq
  • Jimmy Mapenzi Hangoma Department of Pharmacy, Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Maureen Nkandu Phiri Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Dainess Hang’andu Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Moses Ngazimbi Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Frank Mudenda Department of Civil Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
  • Michelo Banda Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Eustarckio Kazonga Department of Public Health, University of Lusaka, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20211010

Keywords:

Coronavirus disease, COVID-19, Mental health, Physical activity, Pharmacy students, Anxiety

Abstract

Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a serious global health problem that has negatively impacted the mental health of students.

Methods: We conducted an online descriptive cross-sectional study among 273 undergraduate pharmacy students at the University of Zambia from August to September 2020. A partial proportional odds regression model was used to determine the predictors of anxiety. All statistical tests were set at 95% confidence level (p<0.05).

Results: A response rate of 70% was obtained with the majority of the students being female 51.6%. Of the 273 respondents, 23.8% did not experience anxiety, 34.4% experienced mild anxiety, 24.9% experienced moderate anxiety while 16.9% experienced severe anxiety about COVID-19. It was also found that 61.2% of students reported that their attention to mental health increased during the COVID-19 pandemic whereas 44.3% reported an increased resting time with a significant reduction in relaxation 51.3% and physical activity 45.4% time. Factors that affected mental health included; reduced family care (OR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.09-4.74), not changing attention to mental health (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.18-0.62), being in the final year of study (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13-0.84), reduced time of resting (OR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.26-3.50) and feeling helpless (OR: 0.42; 95% CI:0.23-0.75).

Conclusions: COVID-19 negatively impacted the mental health and physical activity of pharmacy students at the University of Zambia. This can have negative health and academic outcomes for students going forward. Higher learning institutions and key stakeholders should implement measures to aid students to recover from the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and physical activity.

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Published

2021-03-22

How to Cite

Mudenda, S., Mukosha, M., Mwila, C., Saleem, Z., Kalungia, A. C., Munkombwe, D., Daka, V., Witika, B. A., Kampamba, M., Hikaambo, C. N., Sadiq, M. J., Chileshe, M., Kasanga, M., Mufwambi, W., Mfune, R. L., Matafwali, S. K., Masebe, P. O., Muungo, L. T., Bwalya, A. G., Kampamba, R. M., Zingani, E., Banda, D. C., Sintema, E. J., Gupta, A., Abdulrahman, N. M., Hangoma, J. M., Phiri, M. N., Hang’andu, D., Ngazimbi, M., Mudenda, F., Banda, M., & Kazonga, E. (2021). Impact of the coronavirus disease on the mental health and physical activity of pharmacy students at the University of Zambia: a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 10(4), 324–332. https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20211010

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Original Research Articles