Page 44 - JCBP-3-2

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Mental health status of Chinese college students in the post-epidemic period

COVID-19. Table 1 lists the detailed descriptive statistics GAD-7 and PHQ-9, in rural and urban areas were 11%
regarding sex, residence, level of study, major, year of and 18%, 10% and 18%, and 11% and 18%, respectively.
study, internship status, vaccination status, and history A difference in anxiety and depression levels between
COVID-19 infection. medical and nonmedical students (P < 0.01) was observed.
Whether students had ever been or were at the time of the
3.2. Descriptive statistics survey infected with COVID-19, could cope with pressure,
Table 2 shows that sex had a significant effect on anxiety had reduced interactions with others, worried about
and depression (P < 0.01). For women, the prevalence rates infection in their family or themselves, and worried about
of anxiety and depression, as determined by the GAD-7 the difficulty in obtaining COVID-19 prevention materials
and PHQ-9, were 21% and 34%, respectively, whereas after the easing of pandemic restrictions had a significant
the rates were 12% and 20%, respectively, for men. No impact on the prevalence of depression (P < 0.001). In
difference in the level of anxiety and depression across addition, the lack of knowledge of COVID-19 and the fear
different residential areas was observed. The prevalence of taking public transportation when going out significantly
rates of anxiety and depression, as determined by the affected mental health (P < 0.001).
Figure 1 shows that after the pandemic restrictions were
Table 1. Demographics relaxed, the perceived pressure of Chinese college students

Demographic variables n % was high (70%), and the incidence of sleep disorders
Sex was low (28%). Nearly one-third of the students showed
symptoms according to the GAD-7 (33%), and more than
Female 630 57 half of the students showed symptoms according to the
Male 475 43 PHQ-9 (54%).
Place of residence
Figure 1 further shows that participants knew about the
Village 365 33 spread or infection of COVID-19. Only a small number of
Town 362 33 people (13%) lacked knowledge about the transmission and
City 378 34 infection of COVID-19. After the easing of the restrictions,
Level of education people’s attention to the treatment of COVID-19 increased
Bachelor’s 984 89 to varying degrees: slight (33%), somewhat (41%), and very
Master’s 117 11 much (10%). In addition, few people (20%) did not believe
Doctorate 4 0.4 that it would be difficult to purchase COVID-19 prevention
Year of study items at the stage when the COVID-19 restrictions were
lifted. Most people (53%) claimed that they had reduced
First 586 53 initiative to go out and interact with others. According to
Second 197 18 the participants, among the obstacles to mental health care,
Third 173 16 the most apparent hindrance was the lack of information
Fourth 118 11 on existing resources (35%), followed by limited resources
Fifth 31 3 (31%), and some believed that social discrimination
Field of study (12%) and economic concerns (11%) were also the main
Medical specialty 705 64 deterring factors. Most students reported feeling anxious
Nonmedical specialty 400 36 and depressed (58%) after the restrictions were eased. The
Internship status at the time of survey most frequently mentioned concern was the fear that their
highly vulnerable family members and relatives became
Yes 142 13 infected with COVID-19 (88%), followed by the fear that
No 963 87 they themselves became infected (72%). Moreover, 40% of
COVID-19 vaccination status the students who participated in the survey believed their
Yes 1092 99 pressure augmented after the pandemic, and 10% of the
No 13 1 students believed that they could not fully cope with the
History of COVID-19 infection stress after restrictions were lifted.
Yes 827 75 3.3. Correlations
No 278 25 We used the Pearson coefficient (Table 3) to verify the
Total 1105 100 associations between variables. The correlation between

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 38 doi: 10.36922/jcbp.2139