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Psychological Impact, Early Behavioural Response to COVID-19 and Predictors Among Health Science Students in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia

Received: 3 September 2021    Accepted: 24 September 2021    Published: 5 October 2021
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Abstract

Background: Psychological impact of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a serious mental health problem for everyone, including health science college students who spend most of their times at home due to the closure of colleges. Addressing needs of early behavioral responses to this pandemic virus in the affected community particularly for students are very important. However, In Ethiopia, there is a paucity of evidence on the addressing psychological impact, early behavioral response to COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the status of psychological impact, early behavioral response to COVID-19 and its associated factors among public health science college students, northwest, Amhara national regional State Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was employed among 317 respondents from October 16, 2020 to December 30, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique used to select the students who attending in public health science colleges in Amhara Regional state. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Epi-data version 4.6 and SPSS version 20.0 software were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regressions (Bivariable and multivariable) were performed to identify statistically significant variables. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was used to declare statistically significant variables on the basis of p-value < 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression model. Results: The overall status of psychological impact and early behavioral response to the COVID-19 pandemic among participants were 51.4% with 95% CI (46%-57%) and 51.1% with 95% CI (45%-57%) respectively. Age 18-24 years old (AOR: 3.6; (CI: 1.14-11.39)), urban residence (AOR: 0.51; 95% CI: (0.31-0.84)), being male participants (AOR: 1.72, 95% CI95% CI: (1.04-2.84)), participants evolved in Debre Tabor health science college (AOR: 4.25; CI 95% (1.60-7.72)) were significant predictors of psychological impact of COVID-19, whereas being female participants (AOR: 3.4; 95% CI: (1.95-5.14)), and participant had psychological impact ofCOVID-19 (AOR: 1.9; 95% CI: (1.16-2-96)) were significant factors with early behavioral response to COVID-19. Conclusions: The psychological impact of COVID-19 was higher among diploma students and early behavioral responses to prevent COVID-19 were not satisfactory. Hence, it is crucial track to early responses to the COVID-19 preventive measures, through appropriate information outlets, mainstream media, and relying on updating information from TV, radio, and health care workers about COVID-19 provision of behavioral readiness to COVID-19 prevention are very important. The government should implement national programs for school based health and safety, promoting students' psychological well-being.

Published in European Journal of Preventive Medicine (Volume 9, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12
Page(s) 119-128
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

COVID-19 Pandemic, Early Behavioral Response, Psychological Impacts

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Cite This Article
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    Agerie Mengistie Zeleke, Gashaw Melkie Bayeh. (2021). Psychological Impact, Early Behavioural Response to COVID-19 and Predictors Among Health Science Students in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia. European Journal of Preventive Medicine, 9(5), 119-128. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12

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    Agerie Mengistie Zeleke; Gashaw Melkie Bayeh. Psychological Impact, Early Behavioural Response to COVID-19 and Predictors Among Health Science Students in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia. Eur. J. Prev. Med. 2021, 9(5), 119-128. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12

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    AMA Style

    Agerie Mengistie Zeleke, Gashaw Melkie Bayeh. Psychological Impact, Early Behavioural Response to COVID-19 and Predictors Among Health Science Students in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia. Eur J Prev Med. 2021;9(5):119-128. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12,
      author = {Agerie Mengistie Zeleke and Gashaw Melkie Bayeh},
      title = {Psychological Impact, Early Behavioural Response to COVID-19 and Predictors Among Health Science Students in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia},
      journal = {European Journal of Preventive Medicine},
      volume = {9},
      number = {5},
      pages = {119-128},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ejpm.20210905.12},
      abstract = {Background: Psychological impact of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a serious mental health problem for everyone, including health science college students who spend most of their times at home due to the closure of colleges. Addressing needs of early behavioral responses to this pandemic virus in the affected community particularly for students are very important. However, In Ethiopia, there is a paucity of evidence on the addressing psychological impact, early behavioral response to COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the status of psychological impact, early behavioral response to COVID-19 and its associated factors among public health science college students, northwest, Amhara national regional State Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was employed among 317 respondents from October 16, 2020 to December 30, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique used to select the students who attending in public health science colleges in Amhara Regional state. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Epi-data version 4.6 and SPSS version 20.0 software were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regressions (Bivariable and multivariable) were performed to identify statistically significant variables. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was used to declare statistically significant variables on the basis of p-value Results: The overall status of psychological impact and early behavioral response to the COVID-19 pandemic among participants were 51.4% with 95% CI (46%-57%) and 51.1% with 95% CI (45%-57%) respectively. Age 18-24 years old (AOR: 3.6; (CI: 1.14-11.39)), urban residence (AOR: 0.51; 95% CI: (0.31-0.84)), being male participants (AOR: 1.72, 95% CI95% CI: (1.04-2.84)), participants evolved in Debre Tabor health science college (AOR: 4.25; CI 95% (1.60-7.72)) were significant predictors of psychological impact of COVID-19, whereas being female participants (AOR: 3.4; 95% CI: (1.95-5.14)), and participant had psychological impact ofCOVID-19 (AOR: 1.9; 95% CI: (1.16-2-96)) were significant factors with early behavioral response to COVID-19. Conclusions: The psychological impact of COVID-19 was higher among diploma students and early behavioral responses to prevent COVID-19 were not satisfactory. Hence, it is crucial track to early responses to the COVID-19 preventive measures, through appropriate information outlets, mainstream media, and relying on updating information from TV, radio, and health care workers about COVID-19 provision of behavioral readiness to COVID-19 prevention are very important. The government should implement national programs for school based health and safety, promoting students' psychological well-being.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Psychological Impact, Early Behavioural Response to COVID-19 and Predictors Among Health Science Students in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia
    AU  - Agerie Mengistie Zeleke
    AU  - Gashaw Melkie Bayeh
    Y1  - 2021/10/05
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12
    T2  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JF  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JO  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    SP  - 119
    EP  - 128
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8230
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210905.12
    AB  - Background: Psychological impact of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a serious mental health problem for everyone, including health science college students who spend most of their times at home due to the closure of colleges. Addressing needs of early behavioral responses to this pandemic virus in the affected community particularly for students are very important. However, In Ethiopia, there is a paucity of evidence on the addressing psychological impact, early behavioral response to COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the status of psychological impact, early behavioral response to COVID-19 and its associated factors among public health science college students, northwest, Amhara national regional State Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was employed among 317 respondents from October 16, 2020 to December 30, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique used to select the students who attending in public health science colleges in Amhara Regional state. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Epi-data version 4.6 and SPSS version 20.0 software were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regressions (Bivariable and multivariable) were performed to identify statistically significant variables. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was used to declare statistically significant variables on the basis of p-value Results: The overall status of psychological impact and early behavioral response to the COVID-19 pandemic among participants were 51.4% with 95% CI (46%-57%) and 51.1% with 95% CI (45%-57%) respectively. Age 18-24 years old (AOR: 3.6; (CI: 1.14-11.39)), urban residence (AOR: 0.51; 95% CI: (0.31-0.84)), being male participants (AOR: 1.72, 95% CI95% CI: (1.04-2.84)), participants evolved in Debre Tabor health science college (AOR: 4.25; CI 95% (1.60-7.72)) were significant predictors of psychological impact of COVID-19, whereas being female participants (AOR: 3.4; 95% CI: (1.95-5.14)), and participant had psychological impact ofCOVID-19 (AOR: 1.9; 95% CI: (1.16-2-96)) were significant factors with early behavioral response to COVID-19. Conclusions: The psychological impact of COVID-19 was higher among diploma students and early behavioral responses to prevent COVID-19 were not satisfactory. Hence, it is crucial track to early responses to the COVID-19 preventive measures, through appropriate information outlets, mainstream media, and relying on updating information from TV, radio, and health care workers about COVID-19 provision of behavioral readiness to COVID-19 prevention are very important. The government should implement national programs for school based health and safety, promoting students' psychological well-being.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Midwifery, School of Public Health, Teda Health Science College, Gondar, Ethiopia

  • Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Teda Health Science College, Gondar, Ethiopia

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