A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AMONG MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL UNDERGRADUATES DURING THE WANING PHASE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN WEST TRIPURA

Background & objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, one may experience stress, anxiety, fear, sadness and loneliness and other mental health disorders. Fear, worry, and stress are normal responses to perceived or real threats, and at times when we are faced with uncertainty or the unknown. There is scarcity of data regarding the mental health issues among younger age group in Tripura. The study aims at to determine the depression, anxiety and stress among the medical students and non-medical students in Tripura. Methods: A cross sectional study conducted among medical and non-medical students of Tripura during 2022 year who were selected randomly and data were collected in a pretested questionnaire. DASS -21 was used to analysed the mental health issues. Data were analysed using SPSS 21.0 and descriptive statistics were used to express the data. A p value <0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: A total of 420 (210 each in medical and non-medical) students participated in the study. The mean age was 20.34 ± 1.15 years and 20.34 ± 1.73 years in medical students and non-medical students respectively. As per DASS-21 score depression was 52.3% and 59.5%, anxiety was 59% and 61%, stressful life was 32% and 42.3% among medical and non-medical students respectively. Non-medical students had more significant fear of COVID-19 scale score than medical students (p value 0.000). Conclusions: The study concluded that non-medical students suffered more from depression, anxiety and stress compare to medical students. Similarly, they had more fear to COVID-19 scale score.