STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF POST-COVID-19 SYNDROME ON HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has left a profound impact not only on the physical health of humanity but also on neurological, social, and ecological well-being. Neurological and psychological disorders resulting from the pandemic have negatively affected the quality of learning and significantly worsened learning outcomes among students in higher education institutions. The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence and evaluate the symptoms of post-COVID syndrome, and to identify their impact on the quality of education among senior students in two higher educational institutions: Poltava State Medical University and Poltava National Pedagogical University named after V.G. Korolenko. It has been observed that damage to the nervous system and the simultaneous appearance of a combination of symptoms including headache, memory impairment, insomnia, anxiety, unmotivated weakness, and excessive fatigue are significantly high among students of both universities. The aforementioned complaints, along with the need for increased time to complete educational tasks post-illness, memory impairment, and sleep disturbances, indicate that the academic performance, psychological state, and psychosomatic background of students are at a low level. Therefore, it is essential to develop recommendations for cognitive rehabilitation tailored to this group of students, considering their significant educational workload (samples were collected from senior students). Moreover, the low and moderate physical activity levels of senior students in higher education may exacerbate symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome, necessitating the development of recommendations for physical rehabilitation. Students experiencing weakness, increased fatigue, reduced work capacity, sleep disturbances, and mood instability should consider reviewing the organization of the educational process, especially in distance learning conditions, and making lifestyle changes accordingly. Therefore, thoroughly elaborated healthcare recommendations and rehabilitation measures to enhance the quality of the educational process should be implemented into healthcare practice.