Table 4.
Correlates of Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies Among Public Health and Preventive Medicine Students During COVID-19 Pandemic (N=563)
| Factor | PSS Score | Avoidant Coping | Approach Coping | Differencea | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M (SD) | p | M (SD) | p | M (SD) | p | M (SD) | p | |
| Sex | ||||||||
| Male | 16.75 (4.18) | 0.253 | 1.85 (0.44) | 0.733 | 2.70 (0.53) | 0.198 | 0.84 (0.52) | 0.128 |
| Female | 17.18 (4.00) | 1.84 (0.44) | 2.76 (0.53) | 0.92 (0.55) | ||||
| Age category (year) | ||||||||
| ≤20 | 16.41 (4.06) | 0.015 | 1.77 (0.41) | 0.006 | 2.71 (0.54) | 0.375 | 0.94 (0.51) | 0.031 |
| 21–24 | 17.34 (4.05) | 1.86 (0.44) | 2.77 (0.53) | 0.91 (0.56) | ||||
| ≥25 | 17.83 (3.81) | 1.98 (0.49) | 2.69 (0.48) | 0.71 (0.56) | ||||
| Study major | ||||||||
| Preventive medicine | 17.05 (3.91) | 0.930 | 1.86 (0.43) | 0.343 | 2.74 (0.52) | 0.709 | 0.88 (0.53) | 0.261 |
| Public health | 17.08 (4.35) | 1.82 (0.46) | 2.76 (0.55) | 0.94 (0.58) | ||||
| Year of study | ||||||||
| 1–2 | 16.36 (3.96) | 0.002 | 1.79 (0.43) | 0.051 | 2.74 (0.54) | 0.760 | 0.95 (0.51) | 0.130 |
| 3–4 | 17.42 (4.10) | 1.88 (0.44) | 2.76 (0.52) | 0.88 (0.56) | ||||
| 5–6 | 17.74 (3.99) | 1.88 (0.44) | 2.72 (0.51) | 0.84 (0.57) | ||||
| Live with whom | ||||||||
| Alone | 16.49 (3.45) | 0.214 | 1.86 (0.43) | 0.649 | 2.87 (0.48) | 0.443 | 1.01 (0.55) | 0.414 |
| With friends | 17.50 (3.84) | 1.87 (0.43) | 2.74 (0.53) | 0.88 (0.52) | ||||
| With family | 17.00 (4.21) | 1.84 (0.44) | 2.73 (0.54) | 0.89 (0.55) | ||||
| With relatives | 16.13 (4.16) | 1.76 (0.48) | 2.74 (0.47) | 0.98 (0.57) | ||||
| Participated in any workshop about COVID-19 | ||||||||
| Yes | 16.96 (4.01) | 0.184 | 1.84 (0.44) | 0.774 | 2.76 (0.51) | 0.037 | 0.92 (0.53) | 0.025 |
| No | 17.58 (4.28) | 1.86 (0.44) | 2.64 (0.58) | 0.78 (0.61) | ||||
| Knowledge about COVID-19 prevention and protection | ||||||||
| Low | 19.75 (4.44) | <0.001 | 2.00 (0.51) | 0.002 | 2.67 (0.44) | 0.461 | 0.67 (0.58) | <0.001 |
| Moderate | 17.34 (3.76) | 1.88 (0.43) | 2.73 (0.53) | 0.85 (0.51) | ||||
| High | 16.31 (4.18) | 1.77 (0.43) | 2.77 (0.54) | 1.00 (0.57) | ||||
| Positive attitude toward COVID-19 prevention and protection | ||||||||
| Low | 18.67 (4.60) | 0.045 | 2.01 (0.57) | 0.176 | 2.74 (0.52) | 0.148 | 0.73 (0.68) | 0.025 |
| Moderate | 17.47 (3.92) | 1.85 (0.42) | 2.67 (0.52) | 0.82 (0.55) | ||||
| High | 16.82 (4.05) | 1.83 (0.44) | 2.77 (0.53) | 0.94 (0.53) | ||||
| Skill in COVID-19 prevention and protection | ||||||||
| Low | 19.20 (4.16) | <0.001 | 1.97 (0.45) | 0.040 | 2.68 (0.44) | 0.041 | 0.71 (0.60) | <0.001 |
| Moderate | 17.09 (3.65) | 1.84 (0.42) | 2.70 (0.54) | 0.86 (0.49) | ||||
| High | 16.44 (4.33) | 1.81 (0.45) | 2.81 (0.52) | 1.00 (0.58) | ||||
| Perceived stress | ||||||||
| Low | – | – | 1.57 (0.35) | <0.001 | 2.66 (0.59) | 0.229 | 1.09 (0.50) | <0.001 |
| Moderate | – | 1.89 (0.42) | 2.76 (0.51) | 0.88 (0.53) | ||||
| High | – | 2.56 (0.49) | 2.69 (0.68) | 0.14 (0.91) | ||||
Notes: aDifference = Brief COPE score on the approach coping − Brief COPE score on the avoidance coping.
Abbreviations: PSS, Perceived Stress Scale; UMP HCMC, The University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City.