PriMera Scientific Medicine and Public Health (ISSN: 2833-5627)

Case Study

Volume 4 Issue 1

Psychological Indexes Among Secondary School Pupils During COVID-19 Pandemic in Selected Schools of Lusaka, Zambia; A Cross Sectional Study

Allan Mbewe*, Nkhama E, Ngandu R and Siziya S

December 29, 2023

DOI : 10.56831/PSMPH-04-111

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Abstract

Background: Learners continued learning and preparing for their final examinations during COVID-19 pandemic. However, the extent to which the pandemic had affected the mental health status of these learners was largely unknown. We investigated psychological indexes among secondary school pupils in Lusaka, Zambia in the era of the on -going COVID -19 pandemic.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pupils attending secondary schools in Lusaka district between June and September 2020. Five out of sixteen high secondary schools were randomly selected from the list. Insomnia severity Index, a rating instrument for anxiety and a patient health questionnaire for depression were used to collect data. Data analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS®. Statistics 20. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported.

Results: A total of 1333/1800 (74.1%) pupils participated in the survey. Males were 792 (59.4%). The majority (60.4%) of the pupils were aged between 12-19 years. Age, gender, marital status and religion were associated with anxiety (p < 0.05). Pupils of age 12 - 19 years were 25% (AOR=1.25, 95% CI [1.11, 1.42]) more likely to have anxiety compared to those aged 20 - 25 years. Gender was the only factor that was independently associated with insomnia. Male pupils were 13% (AOR=0.87, 95% CI [0.77, 0.97]) less likely to have insomnia than female pupils.

Conclusion: Insomnia, depression and anxiety were common among learners especially among female students in their final year of their secondary education. The government should develop policy that compel schools to provide psychological services for the learners and more targeted at female students and younger learners.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; High school, Pupils, Adolescents; Insomnia; Anxiety; Depression

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