1.Covid-19 One Year on: Exposure to Infection, Covid-related Functional Difficulties and Concerns Among Medical Students From a Malaysian Medical School
Phaik Choo Ooi ; Nurin Qistina Subri ; Ardilla Balqis Othman ; Airin Natasha Aliya Khiril Muhyzam ; Nur Aqilah Farhana Alhamdu ; Nurul Izzati Zulkurnain ; Afiqah Hassanah Noor Ahmad Kamal
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2022;18(No.3):50-58
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced revolutionary changes in the delivery of medical education and
imposed much stress on medical students and academicians. This study aimed at evaluating the level of exposure to
COVID-19, COVID-related functional difficulties and concerns experienced by medical students, approximately one
year after COVID-19 became significant health and socio-economic issues in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional
study using self-administered online questionnaire, was conducted among the undergraduate medical students of a
private university in Malaysia. Results: A total of 243 medical students participated. They reported low level of exposure to COVID-19 infection. Majority of them demonstrate moderate level of difficulties in learning (median score of
3, highest score = 4) and high levels of COVID-related concerns (median scores of 4 to 5, highest score = 5). Lowest
household income category was a significant predictor of high level of functional difficulties (OR = 3.878, 95%CI:
1.651, 9.110); whilst female gender was a significant predictor of high level of COVID-related concerns (OR = 7.400,
95%CI: 1.920, 28.514). Conclusion: One year following the onset of COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, medical
students still reported significant functional difficulties in learning and demonstrated high levels of COVID-related
concern. Collaborative efforts to mitigate the problems need to be intensified with emphasis on the delivery of online
medical education and special attention to female and lower socio-economic group students to prevent detrimental
consequences to medical students and medical education. Multi-center and longitudinal studies are recommended.