Association Between Dry Eye Disease Symptoms and Psychological Distress Among Undergraduate Medical Students in Yemen During the Conflict Period
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose: To investigate the association between dry eye disease symptoms and psychological distress among undergraduate medical students in Yemen during the ongoing conflict period. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved convenience sampling among undergraduate medical students in Yemen. Individuals with a mean age of 23.19 ± 2.88 years completed the Arab Ocular Surface Disease Index (Arab-OSDI) questionnaire and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-8 (DASS-8) to assess stress, anxiety, and depression levels. Results: A total of 487 undergraduate medical students were analysed, with a mean age of 23.19 ± 2.88 years; 267 (54.8%) were female. The mean OSDI score was 26.04 ± 19.10, while the mean DASS-8 score was 9.85 ± 5.86. DASS-8 scores differed significantly across DED severity categories (H = 75.76, p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis showed that participants in the normal DED group had significantly lower DASS-8 scores than those in the mild, moderate, and severe groups (all adjusted p < 0.001). Additionally, the severe DED group had significantly higher DASS-8 scores than the mild and moderate groups (adjusted p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Adjusted linear regression further demonstrated that higher DASS-8 scores were independently associated with higher OSDI scores (β = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.79–1.41, p < 0.001). Conclusion: A significant association was observed between psychological distress and dry eye disease symptoms among undergraduate medical students in Yemen during the conflict period. Higher DASS-8 scores were moderately associated with higher OSDI scores and independently predicted both more severe dry eye symptoms and greater likelihood of OSDI-defined DED after adjustment for potential confounders. Clinical trial registration Clinical trial number: not applicable. This study was an observational cross-sectional survey and did not involve the prospective assignment of participants to a health-related intervention.
Source: Research Square
Authors: Mohammed Aljarousha, Tariek Aldoais, Mohd Zulfaezal Che Azemin, Noor Ezailina Badarudin, Husni Ahmed Abdullah Al-Goshae, Mustafa Mustafa, Ebrahim Shaddad, Khaled Al-Hemyari, Maged Albeshary, Mahfouth A Bamashmus, Mohd Ferdaus Bin Sari, Ebrahim Nangarath Kottakal Cheriya, May M. Bakkar, Kariman Gamal Tamam, Safaa M. Naes, Reem Mohammed Alfakih, Jalal Hadi
Language: English
Subfield: Ophthalmology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204998007