PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF MEDICAL STUDENTS EXPERIENCING NECK PAIN SYNDROME

Introduction. Neck pain is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders, with an age-standardized prevalence of 27.0 per 1,000 people in 2019, ranking fourth globally after back diseases, mental disorders (including depression), and iron deficiency anemia. This issue is closely associated with computer neck syndrome, which represents the early stages of cervical spine degeneration due to the stress caused by prolonged head tilting while using a computer or smartphone. Current literature highlights a strong link between neck pain and the psycho-emotional component of health. However, most studies at both global and regional levels examine this problem as part of a broader set of musculoskeletal symptoms. Notably, there is a lack of monitoring on the prevalence of neck pain among medical university students in Ukraine, and a review of available literature reveals a significant gap in this area. The purpose of this study is to analyze the specifics of psychoemotional states, in particular the manifestations of anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as the perception of the level of social support in the case of neck pain among students studying at higher education institutions. Materials and methods. The study involved 187 applicants for the second level of higher medical education of full-time 1-6 years of study. An online questionnaire was used to conduct the survey, which included a passport part and social factors of neck pain, a scale for determining social support, an anxiety questionnaire (GAD-7), a depression questionnaire (PHQ-9) and a scale for assessing the level of stress (PSS-10) and a social support scale (SSS). Results. 177 students (94.65%) agreed to participate in the survey. Among them, 42 were men (23.73%) and 135 were women (76.27%). The results revealed that 104 participants (58.8%) reported experiencing neck pain. The average severity of neck pain was 3.42±2.06 points on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The mean GAD-7 scale score in group 1 was 8.0 (range: 6.0–12.0), and in group 2, it was 6.0 (range: 4.0–8.0). In group 1, the level of anxiety was statistically significantly higher compared to group 2 (p<0.001), although the median values in both groups indicated a low level of anxiety. Respondents in group 1 were found to have more pronounced anxiety (p<0.001), depression (p<0.001), and stress (p=0.016). However, the level of social support did not show statistically significant differences between the groups (p=0.721). Conclusions. Neck pain affects more than half of higher education students, regardless of age or academic year, but is more common in women. Students experiencing neck pain are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, and stress. However, there were no changes in perceived social support, suggesting that while cervical pain impacts students’ mental health, it does not affect their social functioning.