Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A Survey

Objective: This study was done to assess anxiety and depression in undergraduate students due to altered levels of screen time (ST) and physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various studies have been carried out about the mental health impacts of ST and PA, but there is a paucity of l...

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Main Authors: Aditya Gupta, Siddharth Trivedi, Keshave Singh, Sagar Bagwe, Lalit Maini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022-01-01
Series:MAMC Journal of Medical Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mamcjms.in/article.asp?issn=2394-7438;year=2022;volume=8;issue=2;spage=113;epage=120;aulast=Gupta
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author Aditya Gupta
Siddharth Trivedi
Keshave Singh
Sagar Bagwe
Lalit Maini
author_facet Aditya Gupta
Siddharth Trivedi
Keshave Singh
Sagar Bagwe
Lalit Maini
author_sort Aditya Gupta
collection DOAJ
description Objective: This study was done to assess anxiety and depression in undergraduate students due to altered levels of screen time (ST) and physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various studies have been carried out about the mental health impacts of ST and PA, but there is a paucity of literature when it comes to exploring these parameters in undergraduate students and the Indian population. This study aims to address this gap. Methods: Data were collected through a survey using an online questionnaire. Participants reported daily ST and weekly PA, both moderately vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA). Symptoms of anxiety and depression were ascertained using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score. Results: Out of the total 165 students analyzed, we found that 63% had borderline or pathological anxiety levels while 41.2% had borderline or pathological depression levels. There was a negative correlation between depression score and PA, for both MVPA (r = –0.233, P = 0.001) and VPA (r = –0.268, P = 0.0002). A negative correlation was found between anxiety score and PA for MVPA (r = –0.151, P = 0.024). There was a positive correlation between ST and scores of anxiety (r = 0.305, P = 0.006) and depression (r = 0.257, P = 0.02) in females but no correlation was found in males. Conclusion: The present study suggests that there is a high prevalence of borderline and pathological anxiety and depression amongst undergraduate students. High levels of PA and low levels of ST are separately associated with a lesser risk of anxiety and depression.
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spelling doaj.art-11e0c5c62ed64728acad8648279f36f02022-12-22T01:49:53ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsMAMC Journal of Medical Sciences2394-74382022-01-018211312010.4103/mamcjms.mamcjms_128_21Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A SurveyAditya GuptaSiddharth TrivediKeshave SinghSagar BagweLalit MainiObjective: This study was done to assess anxiety and depression in undergraduate students due to altered levels of screen time (ST) and physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various studies have been carried out about the mental health impacts of ST and PA, but there is a paucity of literature when it comes to exploring these parameters in undergraduate students and the Indian population. This study aims to address this gap. Methods: Data were collected through a survey using an online questionnaire. Participants reported daily ST and weekly PA, both moderately vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA). Symptoms of anxiety and depression were ascertained using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score. Results: Out of the total 165 students analyzed, we found that 63% had borderline or pathological anxiety levels while 41.2% had borderline or pathological depression levels. There was a negative correlation between depression score and PA, for both MVPA (r = –0.233, P = 0.001) and VPA (r = –0.268, P = 0.0002). A negative correlation was found between anxiety score and PA for MVPA (r = –0.151, P = 0.024). There was a positive correlation between ST and scores of anxiety (r = 0.305, P = 0.006) and depression (r = 0.257, P = 0.02) in females but no correlation was found in males. Conclusion: The present study suggests that there is a high prevalence of borderline and pathological anxiety and depression amongst undergraduate students. High levels of PA and low levels of ST are separately associated with a lesser risk of anxiety and depression.http://www.mamcjms.in/article.asp?issn=2394-7438;year=2022;volume=8;issue=2;spage=113;epage=120;aulast=Guptaanxietycoviddepressionundergraduate students
spellingShingle Aditya Gupta
Siddharth Trivedi
Keshave Singh
Sagar Bagwe
Lalit Maini
Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A Survey
MAMC Journal of Medical Sciences
anxiety
covid
depression
undergraduate students
title Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A Survey
title_full Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A Survey
title_fullStr Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A Survey
title_full_unstemmed Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A Survey
title_short Anxiety and Depression in Undergraduate Students Due to Altered Screen Time and Physical Activity Patterns in COVID Times: A Survey
title_sort anxiety and depression in undergraduate students due to altered screen time and physical activity patterns in covid times a survey
topic anxiety
covid
depression
undergraduate students
url http://www.mamcjms.in/article.asp?issn=2394-7438;year=2022;volume=8;issue=2;spage=113;epage=120;aulast=Gupta
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