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Main Article Content
The effect of midwifery students’ changing life conditions and e-learning experiences on the state of their anxiety and hopelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic
Abstract
Background: Giving the existing formal education through the internet without a planned transition to distance education
negatively affected the learning processes of the students.
Objectives: The study aims to identify the midwifery students’ changing life conditions and e- learning experiences on the state
of their anxiety and hopelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Methods: Designed as cross-sectional research, the study was performed with the participation of 1,296 midwifery undergraduate
students. The survey form comprised of questions that explored the students’ demographic characteristics, life conditions
changing during the Covid-19 pandemic and distance education experiences, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, and the
Beck Hopelessness Scale were used in the data collection.
Findings: It was discerned that, of the participant midwifery students, 55.2% spent the period of the pandemic in the province
center, 51.7% used smartphones to have access to the distance education, 50.3% had trouble in following up the courses
due to the limited computer and internet access, 63.5% failed to follow up the courses because of the infrastructure problems
related to the distance education. It was found that, of the participant midwifery students, 54.6% exhibited anxiety symptoms
and 26.3% had hopelessness symptoms. It was identified that having trouble in following up the courses increased anxiety by
1.438 times (CI:1.103-1.875) and hopelessness by 1.980 times (CI:1.459-2.687), having tensions in the family relations increased
anxiety by 2.362 times (CI:1.780-3.134) and hopelessness by 1.789 times (CI:1.235-2.594), and having psychological support for
anxiety and worry increased anxiety by 2.914 times (CI:2.208-3.8477) and hopelessness by 1.875 times (CI:1.083-3.247). It was
ascertained that hopelessness increased anxiety by 2.878 times (CI:2.075-3.991) whilst anxiety increased hopelessness by 2.755
times (CI:1.985-3.823) (p<0.05).
Conclusion: As well as the Covid-19 pandemic, health, social life, and economic changes; the digital separation that accompanies
distance education also affects the students’ mental health. Solving the technical problems experienced in distance education,
facilitating the follow-up of the courses, and equipping the midwifery students with problem-solving and coping skills will
be useful for reducing the midwifery students’ hopelessness and anxiety levels.
Keywords: Midwife; anxiety; pandemics.
