Well-being assessment in medical students since the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed method study

Introduction: since the covid-19, changes have occurred for the moroccan medical students, which represent a vulnerable population. coping with this situation could be difficult. our objective was to estimate and understand the psychosocial barriers to the medical students’ well-being at the faculty of medicine and pharmacy of marrakesh (fmpm) by evaluating their coping strategies, difficulties and needs. methods: we conducted a mixed method study among pregraduate medical students. for the quantitative part, we did a cross-sectional study using an online four-part self-administered questionnaire. we compared likert scales of perceived well-being before and one year after the lockdown. the scales ranged from 0 (very low state of well-being) to 10 (complete state of well-being). coping strategies were assessed by the brief-cope questionnaire. the qualitative perspective was a case-study with semi-structured interviews using an interview guide based on the literature review. finally, a one-phase triangulation analysis, underlined by a convergence model, was done. results: we had 355 participants for the quantitative part (participation rate of 16.6%). the mean age was 19.2±1.6. the female/male sex ratio was 1.8. the first cycle students represented 76%. the well-being mean state was better before than after the pandemic (7.8 vs 5.4; p<0.001). the main coping strategy was the acceptance of the situation (5.8±1.7). according to the students, their principal need for promoting their well-being at the faculty was having courses about technologies for studies (89.3%). for the qualitative part, we interviewed 16 students. thirteen had a decline of their well-being after the lockdown. isolation and adaptation to e-learning were the principal difficulties. however, mainly, they adopted engaging in coping strategies. conclusion: the medical students’ well-being decreased since the covid-19 pandemic. students adopting coping strategies were in the best well-being state. psychosocial and solution-based measures should be put in place at the fmpm to foster the students’ well-being.