QUALITY OF LIFE AND PAIN STATUS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTES IN ONLINE CLASSES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

 Introduction: With the arrival of the pandemic, social distancing measures were taken to prevent the spread of the virus. In this context, educational centers had to adapt to deliver content online, which resulted in sudden changes in the routine of college students. Objectives: Evaluate the quality of life and painful episodes of college students who were taking online classes during the pandemic. Methods: This a cross-sectional and descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The data collection was performed through questionnaires of sample characterization, brief pain inventory, and the WHOQOL-bref, to obtain data on the quality of life and pain in college students at a private university in Gama (Distrito Federal), consecutively. Results: 100 university students from different courses were recruited, with a mean age of 22.6 ± 3.95 years, the majority (74%) were female and 45% were in the last year of graduation. Regarding pain, 71% of participants reported feeling more pain during the pandemic, and 66% said these pains influenced their quality of life. The most reported pain region was the scapular region (44%), followed by the front of the head (43%). The average scores for the quality of life domains were: social relationships (65.92), physical (62.24), environment (59.02), and psychological (57.36). Conclusion: The college students had a reduced quality of life associated with a relevant pain condition during the pandemic.