Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms Among Clinical Physiotherapy Students Following Prolonged Lecturers Strike in a Sub-Haran University

Objectives To determine the prevalence of anxiety, and depressive symptoms among clinical physiotherapy students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University following the prolonged lecturers (teachers) strike in 2022. Methods This cross-sectional survey consecutively recruited 131 physiotherapy undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, in clinical classes. The research instruments were a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and a Chi-square inferential statistical test at an alpha level 0.05. Results: The majority of the participants were between 18-23 years of age, 75 (57.25%) of the participants were in their fourth year of study (400 level), while 56 (42.75%) of the participants were in their fifth year of study (500 level). The prevalence of anxiety and depression within the population of the study were 20.6% and 4.6% respectively. There was a significant association between the pairs of anxiety symptoms and gender (p=0.017); depressive symptoms and gender (p=0.008), with members of the male gender presenting more significant cases of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion The prevalence of depression and anxiety within the population of study were relatively high, and actively associated with gender.