COVID-19 Pandemic and International Students’ Mental Health in China: Age, Gender, Chronic Health Condition and Having Infected Relative as Risk Factors
COVID-19 Pandemic and International Students’ Mental Health in China: Age, Gender, Chronic Health Condition and Having Infected Relative as Risk Factors
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Date
2022-06-28
Authors
Antwi, Collins Opoku
Belle, Michelle Allyshia
Ntim, Seth Yeboah
Wu, Yuanchun
Affum-Osei, Emmanuel
Aboagye, Michael Osei
Ren, Jun
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Publisher
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Abstract
International students in China were among the first group of individuals to be affected by
the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic’s impact on their mental health is underexplored.
This study—utilizing web-based survey data (N = 381), presents preliminary reports using ANOVA
and MIMIC analytic approaches. Following the clinical demarcation of the 21-item version of the
Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), we found 24.6%, 38.3%, and 43.6% of the students
to suffer mild to extreme stress, anxiety, and depression, respectively. Female students reported
significantly higher levels of stress and depression than males. Older students’ reports of stress
were more substantial than younger students. Students who reported having a relative infected
with the virus (vs. those without) experienced significantly higher anxiety and stress. Those who
reported having pre-existing chronic health condition(s) (vs. those without) also reported significantly
higher stress, anxiety, and depression levels. Moreover, students with an exercise routine (vs. those
without) experienced significantly lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Last, our MIMIC
model results indicate that foreign students’ age, gender, chronic health status, and having a relative
infected with the virus constitute significant risk factors explaining variations in foreign students’
experience of psychological distress. Implications for international students’ management have been
thoroughly discussed.
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Citation
Antwi, C. O., Belle, M. A., Ntim, S. Y., Wu, Y., Affum-Osei, E., Aboagye, M. O., & Ren, J. (2022). Covid-19 pandemic and international students’ mental health in China: age, gender, chronic health condition and having infected relative as risk factors. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(13), 7916.