Emotional Functioning in the Context of Health Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Health Sciences Students: The Polish Case

PURPOSE: The fear for health, uncertainty, loss of freedom, boredom, and frustration accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic caused mental health burdens. Young people are particularly at a risk of emotional functioning problems. The aim of this manuscript was to verify the relationships between health behaviors and emotional functioning in health sciences students during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group comprised 493 Polish health sciences students (314 women, 179 men) aged 21.5 ± 2.25 years. The intensity of health behaviors was examined using the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was carried out to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression. Stress levels were examined with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). The online versions of psychological scales were created using Google Forms software. RESULTS: Mild anxiety symptoms were observed in 21% of examined students and moderate-to-severe in 28%. Mild depressive symptoms were observed in 14% of the study group, and 8% of the examined students suffered from moderate-to-severe depression. The mean perceived stress result was high (22.2 ± 4.1 pts.). The overall intensity of health behavior was, at the mean level, significantly higher in females compared to males. The odds of developing severe symptoms in terms of anxiety, depression, and stress in students with high levels of health-related behaviors were respectively: four times, more than seven times, and nine times lower compared to students with lower levels of these behaviors. CONCLUSION: Undertaking regular pro-health behavior decreased the odds of developing severe symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress in health sciences students during the COVID-19 pandemic.