Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD among college students after optimizing the COVID-19 response in China

Highlights

• The self-reported COVID-19 infection rate among investigated college students was 80.2%.

• The self-reported prevalence of anxiety, depression, insomnia and PTSD appeared as 12.7%, 25.8%, 11.6% and 7.9%.

• Attention should be paid to the long-term psychological impact of COVID-19 epidemic and infection on college students.

Abstract

Background

The number of COVID-19 infections has increased sharply and quickly after optimizing the COVID-19 response in China. In the context of this population-size infection, college students' psychological response is yet to be understood.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate anxiety, depression, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among college students from December 31, 2022, to January 7, 2023. The questionnaire included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Impact of Event Scale (IES-R), and self-designed questionnaire.

Results

Of the 22,624 respondents, the self-reported prevalence of anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD, and any of the four psychological symptoms appeared as 12.7 %, 25.8 %, 11.6 %, 7.9 %, and 29.7 %, respectively. The self-reported COVID-19 infection rate was 80.2 %. Changes in the place for learning, longer time online, not recovering after infection, a higher proportion of family member infection, insufficient drug reserve, worry about sequela after infection, future studies, or employment contributed to a higher risk of anxiety/depression/insomnia symptoms or PTSD symptoms. Multinomial logistic regression showed that those who spent more extended time on the Internet, recovered after infection, and had insufficient drug reserves were less likely to have PTSD than anxiety/depression/insomnia symptoms.

Limitations

The study was a non-probability sampling survey.

Conclusions

Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD were common psychological symptoms among college students when infection went through a large-scale population. This study highlights the importance of continuing to care for the psychological symptoms of college students, especially timely responses to their concerns related to the epidemic situation and COVID-19 infection.