Perceived Stress by Students of the Medical Sciences in Cuba Toward the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of an Online Survey

The aims of this study were to determine the usefulness of the Modified (10-item) Scale of Perceived Stress related to COVID-19 (EEP-10-C, for its acronym in Spanish) and to identify the levels of stress perceived by students of medical sciences in Cuba due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted, with self-reported data of students from 14 Cuban universities of medical sciences (n=200), through an online survey. The EEP-10-C was used as an instrument to identify stress. Its validity was determined through a confirmatory factor analysis and its internal consistency and reliability was measured by the Cronbach's alpha. A cluster analysis was performed to establish as the cut-off point the centre of the cluster with the highest values of stress perceived by the scale. The average age of the sample was 23.30± 1.91 years, with observed scores of the EEP-10-C between 0 and 29 points (13.25±5.404). When applying the cut-off point ≥25, only two students had high rates of perceived stress. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the validity of the instrument (α=0.755). The cut-off point ≥20 was proposed as a reference of high stress perceived for the study population, when applying this one, 14% of students presented high rates of stress. In Cuba, students of the medical sciences have participated in research and healthcare support, despite which they have presented low levels of stress. The main contribution of the research was the validation of the EEP-10-C for its use in assessing levels of stress in Cuban medical students, proposing the cut-off point ≥20 as a reference of high stress perceived. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determinar la utilidad de la Escala de Estrés Percibido Modificada (10 ítems) relacionada con COVID-19 (EEP-10-C) e identificar los niveles de estrés percibido por estudiantes de ciencias médicas en Cuba por la pandemia de COVID-19. Se realizó un estudio transversal, con datos informados por los estudiantes de 14 universidades de ciencias médicas de Cuba (n=200) a través de una encuesta en línea. El EEP-10-C se utilizó como instrumento para identificar el estrés. Su validez se determinó mediante análisis factorial confirmatorio y su consistencia interna y su confiabilidad, mediante alfa de Cronbach. Se realizó un análisis de conglomerados para establecer como punto de corte el centro del conglomerado con los valores más altos de estrés percibido en la escala. La edad promedio de la muestra fue 23,30±1,91 a