A Study to evaluate depression, anxiety and stress among medical interns during COVID crisis

The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that emerged in Wuhan, China, commonly presents as a severe acute respiratory disease referred to as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).The pandemic had a great impact on mental health of health care worker especially medical interns who were prematurely exposed to such nightmarish experience. To evaluate level of stress, depression and anxiety on medical interns a cross sectional observational study was performed .Assessment of mental status of interns was of prime importance because they are going to lead countries’ health care system in upcoming times. METHOD: A cross-sectional observational study conducted between may 2021 to June 2021. Participants were medical interns posted in COVID-19 wards. They were invited to participate using whatsapp application. Link was sent to 250 students out of which 210 choose to submit completely filled form. A 21 items self rated scale DASS was used to evaluate depression, anxiety disorder and stress. RESULTS: 210 interns participated in study out which 40 % (n=84) were females and 60% (n=126) were males. The mean depression score on DASS scale was 11.19(S.D=7.18) , mean anxiety score was 13.79(S.D=4.46) and mean score of stress was 15.95(S.D 3.53). There was no statistically significant difference in depressive, anxiety, stresses related symptoms. CONCLUSION: There was negative effect on mental health of interns posted in COVID-19 wards with stress being more prevalent than anxiety followed by depressive symptoms however it was much lower than interns from other countries.