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Table 2 Predictors of anxiety and depression (Adjusted OR: Odds Ratio; CI: 95% confidence interval)

From: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being of students in an Italian university: a web-based cross-sectional survey

ANXIETY

Variable

Category

Anxiety

  

No

Yes

OR [95% CI]

P-value

  

N (%)

N (%)

  

Total

 

302 (64.67)

165 (35.33)

  

Gender

Male

104 (77.04)

31 (22.96)

–

 

Female

198 (59.64)

134 (40.36)

2.44 [1.769–3.861]

< 0.0001

  

Median (IQR)

Median (IQR)

  

Age

 

23.1 (3.49)

22.5(3.52)

0.97 [0.94–1.004]

0.083

Area of residence

North

115 (68.86)

52 (31.14)

–

 
 

Center

78 (65.0)

42 (35.0)

1.08 [0.517–2.267]

0.883

 

South and Island

109 (60.56)

71 (39.44)

1.36 [0.701–2.663]

0.358

Faculty

Other

62 (75.61)

20 (24.39)

–

 

Medicine

176 (61.32)

111 (38.68)

3.62 [0.422–31.155]

0.240

Psychology

64 (65.31)

34 (34.69)

1.20 [0.605–2.382]

0.600

Campus

(Brescia Milano Piacenza-Cremona)

120 (69.36)

53 (30.64)

–

 
 

Rome

182 (61.90)

112 (38.10)

1.55 [1.032–2.340]

0.035

Live alone

No

276 (65.25)

147 (34.75)

–

 
 

Yes

26 (59.09)

18 (40.91)

1.29 [0.67–2.48]

0.451

Know people who have tested positive

No

217 (66.77)

108 (33.23)

–

 

Yes

85 (59.86)

57 (40.14)

1.49 [0.97–2.29]

0.068

Engage in physical activities

No

75 (56.82)

57 (43.18)

–

 

Yes

227 (67.76)

108 (32.24)

0.58 [0.383–0.901]

0.015

Suffering from the impossibility of seeing one’s partner

Strongly disagree

27 (77.14)

8 (22.86)

–

 

Disagree

2 (66.67)

1 (33.33)

1.34 [1.07–1.67]

0.010

Moderate

15 (88.24)

2 (11.76)

  

Agree

38 (71.70)

15 (28.30)

  

Strongly agree

71 (55.47)

57 (44.53)

  

Concerned about COVID-19

Strongly disagree

18 (78.26)

5 (21.74)

–

 

Disagree

79 (68.70)

36 (31.30)

1.27 [1.03–1.56]

0.023

Moderate

116 (65.17)

62 (34.83)

  

Agree

78 (61.90)

48 (38.10)

  

Strongly agree

11 (44.00)

14 (56.00)

  

Pandemic feels like something distant

Strongly disagree

198 (61.68)

123 (38.32)

–

 

Disagree

80 (68.97)

36 (31.03)

0.68 [0.492–0.949]

0.023

Moderate

17 (73.91)

6 (26.09)

  

Agree

6 (100.0)

0

  

Strongly agree

1 (100.0)

0

  

Understand preventive measures

Strongly disagree

0

0

–

 

Disagree

1 (50)

1 (50.0)

0.79 [0.56–1.11]

0.166

Moderate

9(60)

6 (40.0)

  

Agree

88 (62.86)

52 (37.14)

  

Strongly agree

204 (65.81)

106 (34.19)

  

Fear about containment of the pandemic

Strongly disagree

32 (80.0)

8 (20.0)

–

 

Disagree

80 (78.43)

22 (21.57)

1.66 [1.383–2.007]

< 0.0001

Moderate

106 (72.60)

40 (27.40)

  

Agree

59 (50.86)

57 (49.14)

  

Strongly agree

25 (39.68)

38 (60.32)

  

Fear about the increase in positive cases

Strongly disagree

7 (58.33)

5 (41.67)

–

 

Disagree

35 (81.40)

8 (18.60)

1.41 [1.155–1.737]

0.001

Moderate

70 (73.68)

25 (26.32)

  

Agree

118 (69.01)

53 (30.99)

  

Strongly agree

72 (49.32)

74 (50.68)

  

Fear about the increase in deaths

Strongly disagree

6 (66.67)

3 (33.33)

–

 

Disagree

30 (85.71)

5 (14.29)

1.60 [1.28–2.00]

< 0.0001

Moderate

65 (77.38)

19 (22.62)

  

Agree

113 (68.90)

51 (31.10)

  

Strongly agree

88 (50.29)

87 (49.71)

  

Suffering from distance to fellow students

Strongly disagree

41 (74.55)

14 (25.45)

–

 

Disagree

42 (73.68)

15 (26.32)

1.35 [1.156–1.590]

< 0.0001

Moderate

58 (67.44)

28 (32.56)

  

Agree

110 (70.97)

45 (29.03)

  

Strongly agree

51 (44.74)

63 (55.26)

  

Suffering from impossibility of attending university

Strongly disagree

37 (77.08)

11 (22.92)

–

 

Disagree

40 (76.92)

12 (23.08)

1.37 [1.167–1.616]

< 0.0001

Moderate

45 (71.43)

18 (28.57)

  

Agree

101 (64.74)

55 (35.26)

  

Strongly agree

79 (53.38)

69 (46.62)

  

Desire to contribute much more to facing the pandemic

Strongly disagree

12 (75.0)

4 (25.0)

–

 

Disagree

33 (75.0)

11 (25.0)

1.33 [1.095–1.636]

0.004

Moderate

90 (69.23)

40 (30.77)

  

Agree

112 (67.88)

53 (32.12)

  

Strongly agree

55 (49.11)

57 (50.89)

  

Suffering from the impossibility of playing sports outside

Strongly disagree

88 (65.19)

47 (34.81)

–

 

Disagree

70 (69.31)

31 (30.69)

1.07 [0.93–1.23]

0.317

Moderate

56 (60.22)

37 (39.78)

  

Agree

49 (70.0)

21 (30.0)

  

Strongly agree

39 (57.35)

29 (42.65)

  

Suffering from the impossibility of seeing one’s partner during the lockdown

Strongly disagree

27 (77.14)

8 (22.86)

–

 

Disagree

2 (66.67)

1 (33.33)

1.20 [1.004–1.450]

0.045

Moderate

15 (88.24)

2 (11.76)

  

Agree

38 (71.70)

15 (28.30)

  

Strongly agree

71 (55.47)

57 (44.53)

  

Concerned about the possibility that the pandemic could reduce one’s concentration on academic activities

Strongly disagree

69 (88.46)

9 (11.54)

–

 

Disagree

61 (75.31)

20 (24.69)

1.92 [1.61–2.29]

< 0.0001

Moderate

70 (68.63)

32 (31.37)

  

Agree

62 (61.39)

39 (38.61)

  

Strongly agree

20 (26.32)

56 (73.68)

  

Concerned that preventive measures could hinder one’s studies

Strongly disagree

79 (81.44)

18 (18.56)

–

 

Disagree

72 (75.0)

24 (25.0)

1.67 [1.42–1.96]

< 0.0001

Moderate

60 (63.83)

34 (36.17)

  

Agree

52 (56.52)

40 (43.48)

  

Strongly agree

19 (32.20)

40 (67.80)

  

Concerned about returning to university

Strongly disagree

111 (70.25)

47 (29.75)

–

 

Disagree

75 (72.82)

28 (27.18)

1.25 [1.08–1.44]

0.003

Moderate

41 (56.16)

32 (43.84)

  

Agree

28 (59.57)

19 (40.43)

  

Strongly agree

27 (47.37)

30 (52.63)

  

Concerned about future career because of the COVID-19 pandemic

Strongly disagree

63 (73.26)

23 (26.74)

–

 

Disagree

47 (63.51)

27 (36.49)

1.26 [1.09–1.46]

0.002

Moderate

51 (64.56)

28 (35.44)

  

Agree

78 (70.27)

33 (29.73)

  

Strongly agree

43 (48.86)

45 (51.14)

  

Determined to complete studies

Strongly disagree

16 (48.48)

17 (51.52)

–

 

Disagree

34 (60.71)

22 (39.29)

0.81 [0.69–0.96]

0.014

Moderate

80 (62.99)

47 (37.01)

  

Agree

73 (65.18)

39 (34.82)

  

Strongly agree

79 (71.82)

31 (28.18)

  

Feel optimistic about a solution to the pandemic

Strongly Disagree

20 (40.82)

29 (59.18)

  

Disagree

58 (59.79)

39 (40.21)

0.71 [0.59–0.85]

< 0.0001

Moderate

93 (65.96)

48 (34.04)

  

Agree

86 (74.14)

30 (25.86)

  

Strongly agree

25 (71.43)

10 (28.57)

  

Patient health engagement scale

4

45 (85.33)

9 (16.67)

–

 

3

213 (70.07)

91 (29.93)

2.71 [1.923–3.846]

< 0.0001

2

42 (44.68)

52 (55.32)

  

1

2 (13.33)

13 (86.67)

  

DEPRESSION

Variable

Category

Depression

  

No

Yes

OR [95% CI]

p value

  

N (%)

N (%)

  

Total

 

121 (27.07)

326 (72.93)

  

Gender

Male

38

93

–

 

Female

83

233

1.15 [0.73–1.82]

0.553

  

Median (IQR)

Median (IQR)

  

Age

 

23.18 (3.67)

22.71 (3.39)

0.994 [0.957–1.031]

0.743

Area of residence

North

48 (30.38)

110 (69.62)

–

 

Center

25 (21.19)

93 (78.81)

1.21 [0.555–2.678]

0.621

South and Island

48 (28.07)

123 (71.93)

0.87 [0.438–1.730]

0.695

Faculty

Other

28 (36.84)

48 (63.16)

–

 

Medicine

68 (24.46)

210 (75.54)

0.60 [0.694–5.291]

0.651

Psychology

25 (26.88)

68 (73.12)

1.64 [0.825–.265]

0.157

Campus

(Brescia Milano Piacenza-Cremona)

52 (31.90)

111 (68.10)

–

 

Rome

69 (24.30)

215 (75.70)

1.49 [0.970–.297]

0.068

Lived alone during the lockdown

No

109 (26.85)

297 (73.15)

–

 

Yes

12 (29.27)

29 (70.73)

0.82 [0.401–1.685]

0.740

Known positive cases

No

86 (27.65)

225 (72.35)

–

 

Yes

35 (25.74)

101 (74.26)

1.209 [0.754–1.937]

0.431

Physical activity during the lockdown

No

42 (33.33)

84 (66.67)

–

 

Yes

79 (24.61)

242 (75.39)

1.57 [0.996–2.488]

0.100

Suffering from the impossibility of seeing one’s partner during the lockdown

Strongly disagree

8 (23.53)

26 (76.47)

–

 

Disagree

1 (33.33)

2 (66.67)

1.12 [0.937–1.354]

0.2045

Moderate

8 (23.53)

9 (52.94)

  

Agree

16 (30.77)

36 (69.23)

  

Strongly agree

28 (22.95)

94 (77.059

  

Concerned about COVID-19

Strongly disagree

4 (19.05)

17 (80.95)

–

 

Disagree

31 (28.44)

78 (71.56)

1.01 [0.813–1.259]

0.917

Moderate

48 (28.07)

123 (71.93)

  

Agree

34 (27.87)

88 (72.13)

  

Strongly agree

4 (16.67)

20 (82.33)

  

Pandemic feels like something distant

Strongly disagree

81 (26.05)

230 (73.95)

–

 

Disagree

31 (28.44)

78 (71.56)

0.94 [0.690–1.289]

0.715

Moderate

9 (45.0)

11 (55.0)

Agree

0

6 (100.0)

Strongly agree

0

1 (100.0)

Understand preventive measures

Strongly disagree

0

0

–

 

Disagree

1 (50.0)

1 (50.0)

1.19 [0.83–.69]

0.331

Moderate

7 (46.67)

8 (53.33)

  

Agree

34 (25.56)

99 (74.44)

  

Strongly agree

79 (26.60)

218 (73.40)

  

Fear about containment of the pandemic

Strongly disagree

6 (15.79)

32 (84.21)

–

 

Disagree

32 (32.99)

65 (67.01)

0.97 [0.802–1.166]

0.731

Moderate

37 (26.62)

102 (73.38)

  

Agree

32 (28.57)

80 (71.43)

  

Strongly agree

14 (22.95)

47 (77.05)

  

Fear about the increase in positive cases

Strongly disagree

3 (25.0)

9 (75.0)

–

 

Disagree

12 (27.91)

31 (72.09)

0.89 [0.724–1.098]

0.283

Moderate

18 (19.57)

74 (80.43)

  

Agree

49 (30.25)

113 (69.75)

  

Strongly agree

39 (28.26)

99 (71.74)

  

Fear about the increase in deaths

Strongly disagree

2 (22.22)

7 (77.78)

–

 

Disagree

7 (20.0)

28 (80.0)

0.80 [0.64–1.10]

0.101

Moderate

17 (20.99)

64 (79.01)

  

Agree

45 (28.85)

45 (28.85)

  

Strongly agree

50 (30.12)

50 (30.12)

  

Suffering from the distance from one’s fellow students

Strongly disagree

17 (33.33)

34 (66.67)

–

 

Disagree

21 (37.50)

35 (62.50)

1.15 [0.993–1.369]

0.060

Moderate

18 (22.22)

63 (77.78)

  

Agree

42 (27.81)

109 (72.19)

  

Strongly agree

23 (21.30)

85 (78.70)

  

Suffering from the impossibility of attending university

Strongly disagree

14 (30.43)

32 (69.57)

–

 

Disagree

17 (34.69)

32 (65.31)

1.12 [0.957–1.313]

0.155

Moderate

14 (24.14)

55 (75.86)

  

Agree

44 (28.95)

108 (71.05)

  

Strongly agree

32 (22.54)

110 (77.46)

  

Desire to contribute much more to facing the pandemic

Strongly disagree

4 (25.0)

12 (75)

–

 

Disagree

12 (27.27)

32 (72.73)

1.12 [0.921–1.379]

0.243

Moderate

40 (32.26)

84 (67.74)

  

Agree

46 (29.68)

109 (70.32)

  

Strongly agree

19 (17.59)

89 (82.41)

  

Suffering from the impossibility of playing sports outside

Strongly disagree

35 (27.13)

94 (72.87)

–

 

Disagree

31 (32.98)

63 (67.02)

1.06 [0.91–1.23]

0.424

Moderate

22 (24.44)

68 (75.56)

  

Agree

17 (24.64)

52 (75.36)

  

Strongly agree

16 (24.62)

49 (75.38)

  

Suffering from the impossibility of seeing one’s partner during the lockdown

Strongly Disagree

8 (25.53)

26 (76.47)

–

 

Disagree

1 (33.33)

2 (66.67)

1.12 [0.937–1.354]

0.205

Moderate

8 (47.06)

9 (52.94)

  

Agree

16 (30.77)

36 (69.23)

  

Strongly Agree

28 (22.95)

94 (77.05)

  

Concerned about the possibility that the pandemic could reduce one’s concentration on academic activities

Strongly Disagree

17 (21.79)

61 (78.21)

–

 

Disagree

22 (27.16)

59 (72.84)

0.90 [0.77–1.06]

0.201

Moderate

30 (29.41)

72 (70.59)

  

Agree

27 (26.73)

74 (73.27)

  

Strongly Agree

23 (30.26)

53 (69.74)

  

Concerned that preventive measures could hinder one’s studies

Strongly Disagree

19 (19.59)

78 (80.41)

–

 

Disagree

23 (23.96)

73 (76.04)

0.88 [0.75–1.03]

0.115

Moderate

35 (37.23)

59 (62.77)

  

Agree

27 (29.35)

65 (70.65)

  

Strongly Agree

15 (25.42)

44 (74.58)

  

Concerned about returning to university

Strongly Disagree

34 (21.52)

124 (78.48)

–

 

Disagree

33 (32.04)

70 (67.96)

0.93 [0.80–1.09]

0.374

Moderate

24 (32.88)

49 (67.12)

  

Agree

15 (31.91)

32 (68.09)

  

Strongly Agree

13 (22.81)

44 (77.19)

  

Concerned about future career because of the COVID-19 pandemic

Strongly Disagree

19 (22.09)

67 (77.91)

–

 

Disagree

22 (29.73)

52 (70.27)

0.99 [0.85–1.16]

0.956

Moderate

21 (26.58)

58 (73.42)

  

Agree

37 (33.33)

74 (66.67)

  

Strongly Agree

20 (22.73)

68 (77.27)

  

Determined to complete studies

Strongly Disagree

7 (21.21)

26 (78.79)

–

 

Disagree

20 (35.71)

36 (64.29)

1.07 [0.89–1.27]

0.475

Moderate

37 (29.13)

90 (70.87)

  

Agree

27 (24.11)

85 (75.89)

  

Strongly Agree

28 (25.45)

82 (74.55)

  

Feeling optimistic about a solution to the pandemic

Strongly Disagree

13 (26.53)

36 (73.47)

–

 

Disagree

30 (30.93)

67 (69.07)

1.12 [0.93–1.36]

0.242

Moderate

40 (28.37)

101 (71.63)

  

Agree

30 (25.86)

86 (74.14)

  

Strongly Agree

6 (17.14)

29 (82.86)

  

Patient health engagement scale

4

8 (15.69)

43 (84.31)

–

 

3

88 (30.03)

205 (69.97)

0.97 [0.69–1.33]

0.828

2

24 (26.97)

65 (73.03)

  

1

1 (7.14)

13 (92.86)

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