FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ANXIETY IN MEDICAL INTERNS AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Objective: To determine the factors associated with anxiety in medical interns at a private university in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study design is quantitative, observational, analytical, retrospective, cross-sectional. The sample was composed of 343 human medicine interns, who were selected by a non-probabilistic snowball type sampling. The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale instrument was used for the diagnosis of anxiety. A Poisson regression model with robust bivariate and multiple variances was used to calculate the prevalence ratio and their respective 95% confidence intervals. Results: The prevalence of anxiety and severe depressive symptoms of 22,74% and 6,71% respectively was found. Depressive symptoms aPR 3.27 (95% CI 1,06 - 10,09), having children aPR 2,61 (95% CI 1,26 - 5,38), and the diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 12 months aPR 2,20 (95% CI 1,25 - 3,87) were associated with the presence of anxiety in the multiple regression model. Conclusions: The presence of severe depressive symptoms, having children, the diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 12 months are associated with the diagnosis of anxiety in medical interns at a private university in Lima, 2021.