Physical and psychological health of medical students: A structural equation modeling approach

This study aims to expand the application of behavioral immune system theory during public health emergencies and explore potential strategies to avoid "health poverty" in the post-pandemic era, focusing on Chinese medical students.

A comprehensive conceptual model was developed based on behavioral immune system theory. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted between September 2020 and June 2021, involving 1015 medical students in China.

The findings revealed significant associations among emotional responses, strong beliefs, behavioral immune responses, and psychological outcomes. Notably, behavioral immune responses were significantly associated with sleep quality (β = 0.452), appetite (β = 0.501), and the tendency to seek psychological knowledge (β = 0.408). The dissemination of epidemic-related information was negatively associated with emotional responses (β = -0.207), strong beliefs (β = -0.369), and behavioral immune responses (β = -0.357), while positively linked to the formation of virtual beliefs. Behavioral immune responses showed a significant negative association with mental health (β = -0.546). Emotional responses were positively associated with strong beliefs (β = 0.660), which in turn were positively associated with behavioral immune responses (emotional response: β = 0.724; virtual beliefs: β = 0.877).

The persistent spread of epidemic-related information may adversely affect the physical and mental health of medical students, potentially contributing to a "hidden crisis." If left unaddressed, such psychological impacts could increase the risk of "health poverty" among low- and middle-income populations in the post-pandemic era.