Academic Stressors, Coping Strategies, and Online Learning Challenges among Malaysian Health Science Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped higher education worldwide, creating unprecedented challenges for students, particularly those enrolled in health science programs that depend heavily on laboratory work, clinical exposure, and competency-based assessments. This study investigates the academic stressors, coping strategies, and online learning challenges experienced by Malaysian Diploma in Health Science students during the pandemic, with the goal of understanding how these factors interacted to influence student well-being and academic performance. Employing a quantitative cross-sectional design, the study collected data from 120 respondents through an online structured questionnaire that included demographic variables, standardized academic stress scales, coping behaviour indicators, and online learning experience measures. Findings indicate that academic stress remained significantly elevated throughout the pandemic, with a majority of students reporting moderate to high levels of psychological strain. Key stressors included unclear assessment expectations, increased academic workload, disrupted practical and clinical training, and difficulties adapting to rapidly shifting online learning formats. The absence of in-person laboratory and clinical sessions created substantial anxiety regarding future professional competence. Many students expressed fear of graduating without adequate practical skills, a concern intensified by inconsistent access to simulation tools and limited lecturer-student interaction in virtual environments. Technological barriers further compounded stress levels. Challenges such as unstable internet connectivity, limited access to personal digital devices, and unconducive home learning environments were widespread, particularly among students from lower-income households. These inequities not only affected academic engagement but also contributed to frustration, demotivation, and academic fatigue. Coping strategy analysis revealed that students predominantly relied on adaptive methods such as social support seeking, religious and spiritual practices, and cognitive reframing. However, a notable portion also reported maladaptive coping behaviours, including avoidance and emotional suppression, indicating deeper psychological distress. Overall, the study highlights that academic stress among health science students during the COVID-19 pandemic was multidimensional, interconnected with structural, technological, and psychological factors. The findings emphasize the urgent need for educational institutions to strengthen mental health support systems, redesign online and hybrid teaching methods, expand digital accessibility, and provide additional clinical training opportunities to rebuild student confidence. By understanding these stressors and coping patterns, policymakers and educators can develop a more resilient and equitable post-pandemic educational landscape that safeguards student well-being while ensuring academic continuity and professional readiness.

depression, anxiety, stress, hybrid learning

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