Background The COVID-19 epidemic has sent students around the world in to lockdown. This study sought to assess the prevalence of impaired self-perceived mental health and identify associated factors among French post-secondary students during the lockdown. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among French students living in the Grand Est area in France from May 7 to 17, 2020 during the first lockdown. An online survey was used to collect sociodemographic data, learning and teaching conditions, living conditions, and exposure to COVID-19, and self-perceived mental health was assessed with mental composite score (MCS) of the SF-12. Results Overall, 4018 were analyzed. Most participants were female (70.7%), and the mean age was 21.7 years (SD 4.0). The mean MCS score was 44.5 (SD 17.3). Impaired mental health, defined by a MCS < 1st Quartile, was mainly associated with female sex; decreased time for learning; not having access to the outside with a garden, a terrace or a balcony; difficulties with the living situation and having someone in the home affected by the SARS-COV2 requiring hospitalization or not. Conclusions This study showed that living conditions during lockdown had a clear impact on the mental health of French post-secondary students. There is a need to improve prevention and to access distance education as well as an urgent need for measures to develop healthy coping strategies for students. This is significant challenge and will assist in moderating the risk for the development of further distress and mental health concerns.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, mental health, SF-12, living conditions, French students, 【초록키워드】 Hospitalization, lockdown, cross-sectional, risk, Prevalence, female, France, age, COVID-19 epidemic, distress, Coping strategy, Factor, measure, participant, French, MOST, sociodemographic data, mental health concerns, Mental, IMPROVE, Result, defined, analyzed, identify, affected, was used, develop, healthy, conducted, condition, conditions, the mean, assist, Impaired, 【제목키워드】 lockdown, COVID-19 outbreak, Effect,