Well-Being and Anxiety Level of College Students During Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a pronounced effect on individuals across the globe. The consequent stay-at-home directives obstructed recreational services access and reliance on internet-based teaching via smart gadgets, thereby likely aggravating behavioural and emotive problems. Previous studies showed that adolescents suffered from stress and compromised quality of life due to the crisis period. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate wellness status among university students and check for anxieties amid the COVID-19 lockdown. Objectives: To ascertain the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on well-being and anxiety levels among college students. Methods: The study involved 103 healthy college students aged 18-30 evaluated for psychological health using the GAD-7 and WHO-5 questionnaires. Participants completed these assessments via Google Forms, with the GAD-7 measuring anxiety and the WHO-5 assessing overall psychological well-being. Result: The participant’s mean age was 22.64±2.92 years. There was a moderate correlation between WHO 5 and GAD 7 with r=-0.43(p<0.001*). The combined GAD7 score for anxiety and WHO5 score for general well-being was 8.45±5.32 and 13.56±5.95. Conclusion: There was a reduction in well-being and a mild increase in anxiety levels in both genders during the COVID lockdown period. Furthermore, females had reduced general well-being and decreased anxiety levels when compared to male participants.