Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Background: Amidst the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, international students face significant mental health burdens. Aim: This study aimed to explore international health science students’ mental health and coping abilities during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Method...

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Main Authors: Nair, Ambili, Fatch, Kalembo, Huaqiong, Zhou, Ng, Linda, Glenda, Hawley, Grogan, Aaron, Ng, Leo, Chen, Wai, Lim, Eric
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier 2023
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93822
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author Nair, Ambili
Fatch, Kalembo
Huaqiong, Zhou
Ng, Linda
Glenda, Hawley
Grogan, Aaron
Ng, Leo
Chen, Wai
Lim, Eric
author_facet Nair, Ambili
Fatch, Kalembo
Huaqiong, Zhou
Ng, Linda
Glenda, Hawley
Grogan, Aaron
Ng, Leo
Chen, Wai
Lim, Eric
author_sort Nair, Ambili
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Amidst the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, international students face significant mental health burdens. Aim: This study aimed to explore international health science students’ mental health and coping abilities during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methodology: A survey was conducted between May and September 2022 using an online questionnaire with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and Coping Self-Efficacy Scale. Findings: A total of 105 international students from 3 Australian universities were recruited with 84% of the participants being nursing students. There was no comparison group of local/Australian-born students. Psy chological distress was reported by 67% of respondents. Problem-focused coping prevailed with higher scores than emotional-focused and social support coping. Financial struggles with rent increased psychologi cal distress likelihood, while social support mitigated it. Social support coping was significantly associated with psychological distress, clinical placement, and problem-focused and emotional-focused coping. Emo tional-focused and Problem-focused coping was associated with participants’ age. Discussion: The study underscores the need for affordable housing and support networks while recognizing the interdependence of coping dimensions for enhancing students' overall well-being
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T11:40:53Z
publishDate 2023
publisher Elsevier
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-938222025-02-19T03:34:42Z Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study Nair, Ambili Fatch, Kalembo Huaqiong, Zhou Ng, Linda Glenda, Hawley Grogan, Aaron Ng, Leo Chen, Wai Lim, Eric Background: Amidst the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, international students face significant mental health burdens. Aim: This study aimed to explore international health science students’ mental health and coping abilities during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methodology: A survey was conducted between May and September 2022 using an online questionnaire with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and Coping Self-Efficacy Scale. Findings: A total of 105 international students from 3 Australian universities were recruited with 84% of the participants being nursing students. There was no comparison group of local/Australian-born students. Psy chological distress was reported by 67% of respondents. Problem-focused coping prevailed with higher scores than emotional-focused and social support coping. Financial struggles with rent increased psychologi cal distress likelihood, while social support mitigated it. Social support coping was significantly associated with psychological distress, clinical placement, and problem-focused and emotional-focused coping. Emo tional-focused and Problem-focused coping was associated with participants’ age. Discussion: The study underscores the need for affordable housing and support networks while recognizing the interdependence of coping dimensions for enhancing students' overall well-being 2023 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93822 10.1016/j.teln.2023.10.022 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Elsevier fulltext
spellingShingle Nair, Ambili
Fatch, Kalembo
Huaqiong, Zhou
Ng, Linda
Glenda, Hawley
Grogan, Aaron
Ng, Leo
Chen, Wai
Lim, Eric
Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
title Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
title_full Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
title_short Mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
title_sort mental health and coping strategies among international health science students during the covid-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93822