THE STRESS OF FINDING A JOB AND FUTURE ANXIETY OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT STUDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the unemployment anxiety and attitudes, career stress and hopelessness levels of undergraduate students from health management education during the COVID-19 pandemic period and determine the effects of these variables on each other.

Method: This cross-sectional study included health management undergraduate students from a public university. The number of participants was 210 (F=152, M=58), administering Beck Hopelessness Scale, Unemployment Attitude Scale, Unemployment Anxiety Scale, COVID-19 Fear Scale and Career Stress Scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to determine the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable.

Findings: The participants' unemployment anxiety scores were found to be high. It has been determined that employment difficulties, pressure to find a job from the social environment, pessimism and hopelessness increase unemployment anxiety. The students were pessimistic and could not be optimistic and away from seeking solutions, with a low desire to succeed. High environmental and social pressure, lack of knowledge and skills and employment difficulties, in particular, high fear of COVID-19, high career uncertainty and external conflict affect the pressure to find a job.,

Conclusion: Health management students experience anxiety about finding a job in despair, which also increases their career stress. The solution-seeking score, which is essential for students to solve their problems, is very low, making the necessary career counselling in this regard important. Psychological and social changes and employment difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 process increased uncertainty and anxiety, negatively affecting students' future expectations.