Background: The socio-psychological impact of COVID-19 has affected the whole world. Bangladesh, one of the most dangerous places as stated by WHO, was first infected at the beginning of March 2020, later than other countries. Bangladesh is now one of the 20 most affected countries in the world, but the psychological effects for university students during the epidemic period are not researched. Design and methods: To address this gap, the present study attempts to discover the socio-psychological impact of COVID-19 on university students in Bangladesh. We conducted an online survey using a questionnaire with a simple random sampling technique and we received 474 responses. Results: In this study, numerous psychological concerns were reported. The study is limited to university students, which may affect the generalizability of the research. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a need to build awareness of the mental health implications of the pandemic for university students.
The novel coronavirus is the worst pandemic of this century. Unfortunately, there is no clear solution for how to cope with such an epidemic. This study examines the coping strategies used by university students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From March to May 2020, a questionnaire was administered and completed by 400 students. This study used the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to examine the respondents' level of anxiety. The results indicate that 35% of students experienced some levels of anxiety. Moreover, there was a moderate use of four types of coping strategies: Seek social support, acceptance, mental disengagement, and humanitarian. These findings can guide policymakers on the importance of developing practical guidelines to handle such lethal diseases. Moreover, the results inform the Saudi community what strategies were used to cope so far with the pandemic. Future research is expected to address the validity and appropriateness of these strategies and encourage other approaches.