Impactos da pandemia da COVID-19 na saúde alimentar e mental de estudantes da área da saúde da UFFS Campus Chapecó

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the new coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, has led society to social isolation to contain the spread of the disease. This measure drastically altered the routines of several social groups, including university students, who were abruptly removed from the in-person educational environment, significantly impacting their nutritional and mental health. Objective: To analyze changes in eating habits and mental health of health students at the UFFS Chapecó campus who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional, retrospective study from March 2023 to March 2024. Data was collected in November and December 2023 using an online questionnaire, Self-Report Questionnaire- 20 (SRQ-20), sent to students at a university in Chapecó. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, dietary, and behavioral data were collected. The data were analyzed using statistical software, Stata 18, licensed to Paulo Roberto Barbato. Results and Discussion: This study identified substantial impacts of the pandemic on students' mental and nutritional health. It was observed that 64% of participants presented mental suffering. Furthermore, approximately 48.1% of participants reported a loss of interest in daily activities, and 27.6% felt useless, reflecting a significant deterioration in mental health. Alarmingly, 10.8% of students considered suicide. Regarding eating habits, 47.2% of students experienced weight gain during the isolation period, 49.1% of participants showed external intake, and 34.1% showed emotional eating. Furthermore, 12.2% of students started using psychotropic medications during the pandemic, indicating the need for psychological support and intervention strategies to mitigate such effects. Conclusion: The data points to a significant impact of the pandemic, culminating in damage to students' mental and nutritional health. The results emphasize the urgent need to develop policies and interventions focused on student well-being to mitigate the adverse effects of future crises and the importance of university support, especially in times of crisis. Additional studies are essential to understand the prolonged impacts of the pandemic and optimize student support strategies.