Unpleasant emotions and associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in a university

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted Mexico, leading to the closure of educational institutions nationwide. Two years into the pandemic, schools, including the Technological University of Querétaro, were officially reopened. We surveyed the university community to evaluate the prevalence of unpleasant emotions. We gather data on demographics, social connections, psychological factors, and significant lifestyle changes attributed to the pandemic. Our analysis, based on a multivariable logistic regression, included responses from 2,616 participants. We identified an 8-24% prevalence rate for unpleasant emotions within our sample. Exhaustion, boredom, and frustration were the most intensely experienced emotions. The analysis revealed several risk factors for heightened unpleasant emotions: being a student (odds ratio [OR] = 1.85), younger age (OR = 2.91-3.00), poly-drug use (OR = 1.21-6.23), and increased substance consumption attributable to pandemic stress (OR = 3.32). Additionally, gender differences were observed, with female participants reporting higher levels of unpleasant emotions (OR = 1.18). Other significant factors included being single (OR = 1.61), experiencing social isolation (OR = 12.07), psychophysiological changes (OR = 6.59-174), and suicidal ideation (OR = 33.25). Our findings indicate a broad variation in the prevalence of unpleasant emotions among the university community, influenced by a range of demographic and psychosocial factors.: La pandemia de COVID-19 impactó profundamente a México, ocasionando el cierre de instituciones educativas en todo el país. Dos años después, las escuelas, incluida la Universidad Tecnológica de Querétaro, reabrieron oficialmente. Encuestamos a la comunidad universitaria para evaluar la prevalencia de emociones desagradables. Recolectamos datos sobre demografía, conexiones sociales, factores psicológicos y cambios significativos en el estilo de vida atribuidos a la pandemia. Nuestro análisis, mediante regresión logística multivariable, incluyó respuestas de 2,616 participantes. Identificamos una prevalencia del 8-24% para emociones desagradables en nuestra muestra. El agotamiento, el aburrimiento y la frustración fueron las emociones experimentadas más intensamente. El análisis reveló varios factores de riesgo para incrementar las emociones desagradables: ser estudiante (tasa de probabilidad [OR] = 1.85), ser joven (OR = 2.91-3.00), el consumo de múltiples drogas (OR = 1.21-6.23) y un aumento en el consumo de sustancias debido al estrés de la pandemia (OR = 3.32). Se observaron diferencias de género, las participantes femeninas reportaron mayores niveles de emociones desagradables (OR = 1.18). Otros factores significativos incluyeron estar soltero (OR = 1.61), experimentar aislamiento social (OR = 12.07), cambios psicofisiológicos (OR = 6.59-174) e ideación suicida (OR = 33.25). Nuestros hallazgos indican una amplia variación en la prevalencia de emociones desagradables en la comunidad universitaria, influenciada por una gama de factores demográficos y psicosociales.