Objective: Long-term social distancing, isolation, and economic fallout may be significant psychological triggers during pandemic, such as COVID-19, especially for those with underlying psychiatric illness. This study was conducted to address the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic among patients with depression based at a teaching hospital in Malaysia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional online study among patients with depression from University Malaya Medical Centre, using Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self Assessment (MADRS-S), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP), and Social Media Addiction during COVID-19 Pandemic (SMACOP). Results: One hundred seventy-eight patients participated in this study. The mean total of the KAP score is 12.65 (SD = 2.65), with knowledge section (mean = 7.34 [SD = 2.13]), attitudes section (mean = 2.63 [SD = 0.58]), and practices section (mean = 2.69 [SD = 1.00]). They scored moderately on the MADRS-S (mean = 21.03 [SD = 4.62]) and ISI (mean = 20.25 [SD = 4.62]) but had high GAD-7 scores (mean = 16.8 (SD = 6.27]). From the multiple logistic regression analyses, depressive symptoms of greater severity (MADRS-S 18–34) are significantly associated with more severe insomnia (P < .001, adjusted OR = 9.101, 95% CI: 3.613-22.924). Furthermore, the high anxiety level is associated with the younger age group (P = .029, Adjusted OR = 2.274, 95% CI: 1.090-4.746), greater severity of insomnia (P < .001, Adjusted OR = 22.9, 95% CI: 6.145-85.343), and higher risk of COVID-19 related social media addiction (P = .011, adjusted OR = 2.637, 95% CI: 1.253-5.550). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the high levels of sleep disturbances and anxiety symptoms experienced by outpatients with depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are closely linked to the younger age group and at-risk social media addiction related to COVID-19.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that strike Malaysia and the rest of the world has given a huge variety of implications especially in the aspect of mental health. Students are no exception in dealing with it. It requires every student to adapt to the new norms that exist in teaching and learning (T&L) system. Thus, this study aims to examine the coping strategies and stress management that can be applied by students in dealing with stress during the pandemic. To achieve this goal a systematic search was conducted, and a simple thematic analysis approach was used to identify the coping strategies among students at higher learning institutions as discussed by previous researchers on similar topics from three search engines on (1) Scopus, (2) Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), and (3) Science Direct from 2015 to 2021 to determine the latest evidence and observations. A literature review of 10 relevant studies was rigorously analysed to get understanding of coping strategies and stress management amongst students at higher learning institutions. The findings show that there are four critical factors in stress management including (1) time management, (2) internet access issues, (2) academic workload and (4) adaptation to new norms. In addition, there are three types of coping strategies that students can do in coping with stress. Research pertaining to these issues are still lacking. This study is seen to be a new platform and guidelines especially for educational institutions to ensure that every student is equipped with stress management skills that can lead to personal well -being.

Pandemik Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) yang melanda Malaysia dan seluruh dunia telah memberikan pelbagai implikasi yang sangat besar terutamanya dalam aspek kesihatan mental. Golongan pelajar merupakan golongan yang berisiko mengalami tekanan akibat norma baharu yang wujud susulan pandemik ini. Justeru, kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti tahap tekanan pelajar dan mengenal pasti pengaruh jantina dalam menentukan tahap tekanan pelajar. Kajian ini adalah kajian kuantitatif yang menggunakan reka bentuk tinjauan. Seramai 400 orang pelajar dari sebuah institusi pengajian tinggi di Malaysia dipilih melalui kaedah persampelan rawak mudah. Soal selidik Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) yang dialih bahasa telah digunakan. Analisis statistik deskriptif dalam bentuk peratus kekerapan dan ujian t-test dijalankan melalui perisian Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Versi 26. Kajian mendapati bahawa seramai 340 pelajar (85%) mengalami tekanan pada tahap sederhana. Selain itu, tidak terdapat perbezaan antara jantina lelaki dan perempuan dalam menentukan tahap tekanan pelajar. Konklusinya, kajian ini amatlah signifikan dalam mengetahui tahap tekanan pelajar semasa pandemik ini. Ia boleh dijadikan sebagai garis panduan terutamanya kepada institusi pendidikan dalam mengatur strategi bagi membantu dalam meningkatkan dan mengekalkan kegembiraan pelajar.