Basic knowledge associated with fatalism generated by COVID-19 in Bolivian medical students; Conocimiento básico asociado al fatalismo generado por el COVID-19 en estudiantes de medicina de Bolivia

Abstract

Fatalism prevents a person from responding adequately to different stressful life situations, but this has not been assessed in a COVID-19 informed population, such as medical students. The objective was to determine whether basic knowledge is associated with fatalism that was generated by COVID-19 in Bolivian medical students. Analytical cross-sectional study, generated through a virtual survey, with validated scales to measure knowledge and fatalism before the possibility of getting sick by COVID-19, this in 4 medical schools in Bolivia. Descriptive and analytical results were obtained for this association, adjusted for other variables. In the multivariate analysis it was found that there was a higher level of knowledge as the academic year increased (3rd year p=0.012, 4th year p=0.031, 5th year p=0.001 and internship p=0.013; all compared to 1st year), on the other hand, there was more knowledge among students who were less fatalistic (RPa: 0.76; 95%CI: 0.68-0.85%; p-value<0.001) and among those who studied at some universities (UNIFRANZ p<0.001 and UNITEPC p<0.001, both as compared to UMSS); adjusted for gender and age of respondents. In conclusion, the fact that students had fatalistic perceptions was inversely associated with the knowledge they had regarding the disease; in addition, there was an association according to the year of studies and the university where they studied. © 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.