Abstract
Background:
The socio-psychological impact of COVID-19 has affected the whole world. Bangladesh, one of the most dangerous places as stated by WHO, was first infected at the beginning of March 2020, later than other countries. Bangladesh is now one of the 20 most affected countries in the world, but the psychological effects for university students during the epidemic period are not researched.
Design and methods:
To address this gap, the present study attempts to discover the socio-psychological impact of COVID-19 on university students in Bangladesh. We conducted an online survey using a questionnaire with a simple random sampling technique and we received 474 responses.
Results:
In this study, numerous psychological concerns were reported. The study is limited to university students, which may affect the generalizability of the research.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest a need to build awareness of the mental health implications of the pandemic for university students.
Significance for public health
Due to COVID-19, the world is facing innumerable difficulties. However, the most crucial difficulty is the socio-psychological pressure on university students. Considering the risk of infection, the university authority and policy-makers adopted secure lockdown and control measures. Although the classes conducted online in many educational institutions, the lack of necessary technological and financial support is a key concern for developing countries such as Bangladesh. This phenomenon is a reason of public health concern in terms of anxiety and coping. Socio-psychological impact is severe but complicated to measure and control. As a result, this could be a threat for ensuring sustainable public health in the society. This research is an attempt to shed lights on ensuring harmony and secure mental health and well-being among the university students during COVID-19.