STRESS LEVELS REGARDING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AMONG NURSING STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF SULAIMANI, KURDISTAN REGION, IRAQ

Abstract

The aim: The study aimed to assess prevalence levels of stress among undergraduate college of nursing students at university of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region/Iraq. Materials and methods: A total of 60 nursing students were selected from college of nursing Sulaimani University by convenience sampling used in their cross-sectional study. The perceived stress scale (PSS-10), and socio-demographic characteristics included in the self-reported questionnaire. The period of data collection started from October 25th, 2021 to November 25th, 2021. The data analysis performed by using SPSS version 25. Ethical approval was considered. Results: The results of this study showed that the overall prevalence rate of stress was determined as 53.3 % of students at moderate level which was more prevalent among fresh man students within age 18-19 years old 93.4 %, while low level of stress observed among senior students within age 20-21 year old (25%) (p<0.01). The other socio-demographic factors were not associated with levels of stress. The finding indicated that 40% of the students were infected with covid-19 in last period while the pandemic is still ongoing. Conclusions: nursing students were experienced moderate to low level of stress regarding covid-19 pandemic regardless of socio-demographic characteristic, only age factor significantly associated with the variance of stress.