Many students volunteered during the first wave, as here at Emile-Muller hospital in Mulhouse -

PATRICK HERTZOG / AFP

  • The University of Strasbourg conducted a study on the anxiety of medical students.

    Particularly in this time of Covid-19.

  • Has it increased with the pandemic?

    Yes, but not in huge proportions according to Professor Thierry Pelaccia, who led the study

  • Another conclusion: the students who volunteered in hospitals, especially during the first wave, are less affected than the others.

The applause was also intended for them.

Last spring, in the midst of the first wave of Covid-19, many health students volunteered to reinforce hospitals, nursing homes, Samus clinics, etc.

In the Grand-Est, then particularly affected by the epidemic, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) had even created an Internet networking platform in order to best manage needs and reinforcements.

A study was carried out on medical students at the University of Strasbourg, particularly those in 2nd to 6th year.

Its goal ?

“Originally, the dean of the faculty wanted to enhance their commitment to the fight against the pandemic, explains Professor Thierry Pelaccia, who led this work.

But above all, it allowed us to measure their anxiety and allow us to see whether it had increased or not with the crisis, especially since we had a basis of comparison dating from 2018. "

The population surveyed is significantly more anxious about the Covid-19

Almost 80% of the students questioned answered, or 1,165 usable questionnaires.

For a fairly predictable result: the population questioned is significantly more anxious with Covid-19.

Cases of so-called "high" anxiety have doubled and those of "severe" have almost quadrupled.

"We did not leave with any preconceptions and the results surprised us," says the doctor, who works in parallel with the Samu.

Because yes, there is a deterioration but the figures that we obtained are found in the upper ranges of anxiety studies on medical students outside exceptional circumstances.

Which was not the case here.

"

Above all, and this is perhaps the most important finding that the authors draw from their study: anxiety affects less those who volunteered during this first wave.

Of the 1,165 questioned, they were 481 to be distributed among the various services in Alsace, including 243 who had chosen to be on the front line.

"The activity helps to preserve a certain mental health"

“Anxiety only persists in a high and severe way among those who have stayed at home, not necessarily by choice.

The idea is not to pit potential heroes against hidden ones, ”adds Thierry Pelaccia, before explaining these results.

“Two things seem important to me.

On the one hand, faced with a stressful situation, it is the activity that allows you to maintain a certain mental health.

On the other hand, those who got involved saw the situation as an opportunity to develop new skills.

"

The professor, whose study was published in the scientific journal

Internal and


Emergency Medicine

, now hopes to take further action on the subject.

Again, with somewhat predictable results.

“Student suffering has only deteriorated since the first wave…”

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  • Strasbourg

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  • Medicine

  • Coronavirus

  • Covid 19