Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: May 5, 2020
Date Accepted: Sep 15, 2020
Date Submitted to PubMed: Sep 24, 2020
Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 on Psychological Health of University Students in UAE and their Attitudes Towards m-Mental Health Solutions: A Questionnaire Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 outbreak started in the 31 December 2019, and was officially declared a public health emergency of international concern by the world health organization on the 30 of January 2020. The outbreak and the safety measures taken to control it, caused many global psychological issues like depression, anxiety, and stress.
Objective:
The objectives of this study are to assess the psychological effect that the COVID-19 outbreak had on university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and to investigate their awareness on mobile mental care applications (apps), and their attitudes towards the use of such apps.
Methods:
A self-administered online questionnaire was delivered to random students of the UAE University. Students were invited to participate via social media and mailing lists. The questionnaire constructed of two parts. The first part assessed the mental state of the participants using the 12 item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). And the second part contained questions investigating the participants’ awareness and attitudes towards mental care apps.
Results:
154 students participated in the survey, with the majority being females. Results of the QHG-12 analysis showed that the students are experiencing psychological issues related to depression and anxiety, as well as social dysfunction. Results also revealed a lack of awareness on mental care apps, and uncertainty of willingness to use such apps. Participants also described a list of preferred functionalities and characteristics they would like to find in mobile mental care apps. Among their suggestions: affordable price, simple design, ease of use, online therapy, communication with others with the same issues, and tracking mental status.
Conclusions:
Like many groups of people around the world, university students in the UAE were also psychologically affected by the COVID-19 outbreak and the related safety measures. And even though mobile apps are an innovative tool for mental care delivery, especially in circumstances like the ones produced by the outbreak, students showed a lack of awareness and mixed attitudes towards them. Improving digital health literacy of university student in UAE by increasing their awareness of existing treatment methods and benefits offered by mental care apps, as well as involving them in the co-creation process of such apps might encourage them to use mobile apps for their mental care
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