ERIC Number: EJ1301114
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Aug
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1090-1981
EISSN: N/A
Lifestyle Changes among Medical Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Study across Nine Countries
Perez-Dominguez, Francisco; Polanco-Ilabaca, Francisca; Pinto-Toledo, Fernanda; Michaeli, Daniel; Achiardi, Jadi; Santana, Valeria; Urnelli, Chiara; Sawaguchi, Yoshihiro; Rodríguez, Perla; Maldonado, Mónica; Raffeeq, Zaheer; de Araujo Madeiros, Otavio; Rebolledo, Cristián
Health Education & Behavior, v48 n4 p446-454 Aug 2021
The global pandemic caused by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) disrupted both public and private life for many. Concerning medical students, practical teaching and classrooms were substituted with a virtual curriculum. However, how this new academic environment has affected students' health and lifestyles has yet to be studied. In this study, we surveyed 2,776 students from nine different countries about changes in their university curricula and potential alterations in their daily habits, physical health, and psychological status. We found negative changes across all countries studied, in multiple categories. We found that 99% of respondents indicated changes in their instruction delivery system, with 90% stating a transition to online education, and 93% stating a reduction or suspension of their practical activities. On average, students spent 8.7 hours a day in front of a screen, with significant differences among countries. Students reported worsened studying, sleeping, and eating habits with substantial differences in Latin American countries. Finally, the participants frequently expressed onset and increase in both mental and physical health symptoms: backache, asthenopia, irritability, and emotional instability. Altogether, these results suggest a potential risk in the health and academic performance of future doctors if these new academic modalities are maintained.
Descriptors: Life Style, Health Behavior, Medical Students, COVID-19, Pandemics, Online Courses, School Closing, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Eating Habits, Cultural Differences, Mental Health, Physical Health, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Brazil; Chile; Colombia; Germany; Italy; Japan; Mexico; Spain; Venezuela
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A