Prevalance of stress and its risk factors among medical students

Rock B.; Ronald R.; Elamparithi T.; Zakeena S.; Susin M.; Sundri R.; Vivek J.; Naveen K.

doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20175335

Authors

Rock B. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Ronald R. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Elamparithi T. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Zakeena S. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Susin M. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Sundri R. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Vivek J. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Naveen K. Department of Community Medicine, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20175335

Keywords:

Medical student stressor questionnaire, Sleep, Stress

Abstract

Background: Studying medicine is stressful. Stress may cause serious health problems and affects their professional life. Hence establishing a database on the extent of the problem will help in the planning of measures to reduce stress. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of stress among the medical students.

Methods: Cross-sectional study was done using 40 item medical student stressor questionnaire (MSSQ) to evaluate the level of stress and the stressors and hence finding the factors associated with it. Data were analysed using EPI INFO.

Results: Of the medical students who were administered questionnaire, 250 (83%) participated in the study. About 17.2% are from Tamil medium. 37.2% were first child in the family. 64.4% and 57.6% have responded that 6-8hrs sleep needed and the actual sleeping hours respectively. About 74%, 75.2%, 62.8% and 56.4% have less focus, less energy and motivation, negative mood and poor academic performance due to decreased sleep. Academic and group related activities contribute to about 29.2%, 20.8% of the total stress respectively.

Conclusions: The prevalence of stress among medical students is moderate to high. The second and final year students are having high stress levels. Academic and group related activities were the major stressors among medical students. Year of study and being the first doctor in the family were the best predictors of a medical student’s stress level.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Salovey P, Mayer JD. Emotional intelligence. Imagination, cognition and personality. 1990;9(3):185-211.

Selye H. Stress without distress. New york. 1974:26-39..

Myers DG. Exploring psychology. Macmillan; 2004.

Lazarus RS. Theory-based stress measurement. Psychological inquiry. 1990;1(1):3-13.

Kaplan HI, Saddock BJ. Learning theory. Sypnosis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry. 2000:148-54.

Silver HK, Glicken AD. Medical student abuse: incidence, severity, and significance. Jama. 1990;263(4):527-32.

Lloyd C, Gartrell NK. A further assessment of medical school stress. Academic Medicine. 1983;58(12):964-7.

Aktekin M, Karaman T, Senol YY, Erdem S, Erengin H, Akaydin M. Anxiety, depression and stressful life events among medical students: a prospective study in Antalya, Turkey. Medical education. 2001;35(1):12-7.

Firth J. Levels and sources of stress in medical students. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1986;292(6529):1177-80.

Guthrie EA, Black D, Shaw CM, Hamilton J, Creed FH, Tomenson B. Embarking upon a medical career: psychological morbidity in first year medical students. Medical education. 1995;29(5):337-41.

Miller P, Surtees PG. Psychological symptoms and their course in first-year medical students as assessed by the Interval General Health Questionnaire (I-GHQ). The British Journal of Psychiatry. 1991;159(2):199-207.

Ko SM, Kua EH, Fones CS. Stress and the undergraduates. Singapore Med J. 1999;40(10):627-30.

Shapiro SL, Shapiro DE, Schwartz GE. Stress management in medical education: a review of the literature. Academic Med. 2000;75(7):748-59.

Rosal MC, Ockene IS, Ockene JK, Barrett SV, Ma Y, Hebert JR. A longitudinal study of students' depression at one medical school. Academic Med. 1997;72(6):542-6.

Clark EJ, Rieker PP. Gender differences in relationships and stress of medical and law students. Academic Medicine. 1986;61(1):32-40.

Niemi PM, Vainiomäki PT. Medical students’ distress–quality, continuity and gender differences during a six-year medical programme. Medical teacher. 2006;28(2):136-41.

Linn BS, Zeppa R. Stress in junior medical students: relationship to personality and performance. Academic Medicine. 1984;59(1):7-12.

Hays LR, Cheever T, Patel P. Medical student suicide, 1989-1994. The American journal of psychiatry. 1996;153(4):553.

Newbury-Birch D, White M, Kamali F. Factors influencing alcohol and illicit drug use amongst medical students. Drug and alcohol dependence. 2000;59(2):125-30.

Pickard M, Bates L, Dorian M, Greig H, Saint D. Alcohol and drug use in second‐year medical students at the University of Leeds. Medical education. 2000;34(2):148-50.

Flaherty JA, Richman JA. Substance use and addiction among medical students, residents, and physicians. Psychiatric Clin North Am. 1993;16(1):189-97.

MOxHD SIDIK S, Rampal L, Kaneson N. Prevalence of emotional disorders among medical students in a Malaysian university. Asia Pacific Family Med. 2003;2(4):213-7

Yusoff MS, Rahim AF, editors. The Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ) Manual. Universiti Sains Malaysia; 2010.

Downing SM. Reliability: on the reproducibility of assessment data. Med Education. 2004;38(9):1006-12.

Firth-Cozens J. Emotional distress in junior house officers. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1987;295(6597):533-6.