The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Faculty's Academic Performance and Well-Being

Abstract

Background: To investigate the effects of stress related to the pandemic on the medical faculty's well-being. Materials and Methods: This study investigated the impact of pandemic-related stress on the well-being of medical faculty at King Abdulaziz University. Using a mixed-methods approach, 82 faculty members completed online surveys, including the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales to measure anxiety and depression, and participated in focus group discussions. The analysis explored the relationship between these psychological stress factors and self-reported academic performance across different demographics. Results: A high prevalence of psychological distress was found: 89.6% of faculty reported at least mild anxiety, and 84.4% reported at least mild depressive symptoms. Most participants self-rated their academic performance as good (54.5%) or excellent (36.4%), and 80.5% reported missing no crucial deadlines. Regression analyses revealed a significant positive association between depression severity and higher self-reported academic performance (β = 1.48, p = 0.025). Male gender (OR = 0.20, p = 0.022) and longer weekly working hours (OR = 0.53, p = 0.019) were associated with significantly lower odds of missing deadlines. Anxiety, depression, and other covariates were not significant predictors of overall quality of life. Conclusion: While the pandemic was associated with a high burden of anxiety and depression among faculty, this distress did not translate into widespread self-perceived declines in academic output. The counterintuitive link between higher depression scores and self-reported performance, alongside the protective effect of male gender and increased work hours against missed deadlines, suggests complex coping mechanisms and potential resilience or presenteeism.