General Health Status of Medical Students During COVID-۱۹ Pandemic and Relevant Factors in Medical Students of Arak University of Medical Sciences in ۲۰۲۱

Background and aims: The present study examined the general health status following the COVID-۱۹pandemic and relevant parameters among internship and externship medical students.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, ۴۰۰ externship and internship medical students at ArakUniversity of Medical Sciences in ۲۰۲۱ were recruited, to whom the ۲۸-item general healthquestionnaire developed by Goldberg was administered. In the questionnaire, ۲۳ is considered thecut-off point, and higher scores indicate worse general health. The data were statistically analyzedusing SPSS version ۲۳.۰.Results: The mean general health score was ۲۵.۲۴ ± ۹.۷۱, and the prevalence of general healthdisorders was ۵۱%. The results represented no significant difference between the externship andinternship students concerning the total general health score and subscales of somatic symptoms,anxiety and insomnia, and social dysfunction. However, interns had a significantly higher depressionscore compared to externs (P = ۰.۰۲۹). Age, gender, marital status, history of COVID-۱۹, and residencestatus were not statistically significantly related to the general health score.Conclusion: More than half of the interns and externs at Arak University of Medical Sciences developedgeneral health disorders during the COVID-۱۹ outbreak. The results revealed no significant relationshipbetween the total score of general health and gender, age, marital, residence, and COVID-۱۹ status.

Keywords:

General health , Medical students , COVID-۱۹