Presentation

Wilson Guillermo Siguenza Campoverde, Anna Lucia Guamán Aucapiña
Private Technical University of Loja

Abstract

With the presence of COVID-19 at a planetary level, the population has experienced problems at a physical and mental level. In extreme cases, this have led to death, bringing high levels of anxiety for those involved. This study sought to identify levels of anxiety among university students, in the face of the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in different Ecuadorian provinces. A quantitative, exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out. The population was 720 university students from twenty-three provinces in Ecuador. Among the main results, the study found that 12.2% of participants reported extreme anxiety, and 22.9% clinically significant anxiety. The existence of a significant association between geographic regions and anxiety levels was identified (p= 0.04). On the other hand, the study established a relationship between COVID-19 deaths (per 100,000 inhabitants, per province, per day), and anxiety (p= 0.015). The study concludes that students present high levels of anxiety according to their geographical location, linked to the increase in COVID-19-relatead cases and deaths.

Keywords:COVID-19, university students, anxiety, deceased