The Prevalence of Stress Among Medical Students Studying an Integrative Curriculum During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gender differences in the relationship between medical students' emotional intelligence and stress coping: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Given the increasing stress levels among medical students due to the impact of COVID-19, it is crucial to effectively reduce their stress levels for their future development. To better understand medical students' stress coping, this study investigated how their emotional intelligence is related to stress coping and whether this relationship is moderated by gender differences.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted. A random sample of 744 medical students from Hebei Province, China, was investigated via an emotional intelligence scale and stress coping questionnaire from March-May 2023. The response rate was 93%. SPSS and Mplus statistical software were used for the data analysis.

RESULTS

The self-emotional appraisal of medical students had a significant negative effect on avoidant coping (β = -0.173, CI 95% = [-0.243, -0.099], p < .001). However, the other dimensions of emotional intelligence (others' emotional appraisal, use of emotion, and regulation of emotion) had a significant positive impact on the active coping of female medical students (β = 0.146, CI 95% = [0.082,0.214], p < .001; β = 0.235, CI 95% = [0.167,0.304], p < .001; β = 0.165, CI 95% = [0.084,0.247], p < .001). In contrast to those of female medical students, other dimensions of emotional intelligence had a significant positive impact on the avoidant coping of male medical students (β = -0.161, CI 95% = [-0.284, -0.062]; p < 0.01; β = 0.126, CI 95% = [0.043,0.246], p < 0.001; β = 0.159, CI 95% = [0.054,0.277], p < 0.05; β = -0.221, CI 95% = [-0.363, -0.129], p < 0.001). Moreover, the use of emotion had a significant positive impact on the active coping of male medical students (β = 0.272, CI 95% = [0.182,0.382], p < .001). Furthermore, gender differences had a moderating effect on the relationship between emotional intelligence dimensions and stress coping (β = 0.178; CI 95% = [0.068,0.292]; p < 0.05). Others' emotional appraisal has a greater impact on female students' active coping. In addition, with increasing regulation of emotion ability, female medical students reduce avoidant coping (β = 0.169, CI 95% = [0.002,0.326]; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study revealed that gender is a significant moderator of the relationship between medical students' emotional intelligence and stress coping. These findings may help medical colleges focus on gender differences when improving medical students' ability to cope with stress.

The measured healthy lifestyle habits among Saudi university females in Medina, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Lifestyle plays a crucial role in shaping an individual's health outcomes, we aim to calculate the prevalence of lifestyle habits among female populations in the College of Medicine, Taibah University including poor dietary habits, lack of physical activity (PA), poor coping with stress, and impaired sleep patterns and to find factors that are correlated to them. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi females at the College of Medicine, Taibah University, from January 1 to June 1, 2023. Data were collected through interviewing them using validated questionnaires assessing 5 different lifestyle domains. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21.0. A total of 263 cases were interviewed. The mean age was 22 ± 8.4 years old. The average sleep quality measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index of 2.6 ± 1.1, suggesting relative difficulty in sleep quality. A total of 68.6% participated in moderate PA. Dietary habits indicated a high prevalence of consumption of sweets, and fast meals, alongside low intake of fruits and vegetables. Emotional well-being, as assessed by the World Health Organization-5 questionnaire, yielded an average score of 7.8 ± 5.7, 58.9% moderate stress, and 8% high perceived stress. Adequate sleep quality is crucial for well-being, necessitating lifestyle modifications, particularly weight management, to address sleep disorders. Varied PA levels (46% meeting recommendations) highlight the need for standardized guidelines and tailored interventions. The high prevalence of unhealthy dietary habits underscores the importance of targeted nutritional interventions. Stress prevalence (40%) emphasizes the need for individualized stress management strategies.

Factors influencing stress and resilience among Egyptian medical students: a multi-centric cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Psychological stress is a common psychological comorbidity among medical students and worsens their quality of life. Psychological resilience is thought to have a protective role against stress. However, evidence regarding the prevalence of stress and resilience alongside their associated factors is scarce, especially in the Middle East. This is the first multicenter, cross-sectional study to investigate resilience and stress among Egyptian medical students.

METHODS

The current cross-sectional study was conducted on 2465 university students in seven public universities in Egypt. The universities were selected using the simple randomization method. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of four parts: demographic data, socioeconomic tool represented in the Family Affluence Scale (FAS), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Data was analyzed in SPSS version 26 software.

RESULTS

The majority of the students were stressed (86.5%), most of whom had severe stress (48.9%). Most of the students had low resilience (49.9%), while only 3.2% had high resilience. In the logistic regression analysis, being a female, living alone, spending long hours on social media, and thinking of suicide or leaving medicine were associated with being stressed and having low resilience. Medical students with low resilience were significantly more liable to stress [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.667, confidence interval (CI): 2.709-4.965, P = 0.000], and vice versa [AOR = 3.709, CI: 2.746-5.009, P = 0.000]. Interestingly, high socioeconomic status showed a significant association with high resilience (P = 0.004); nonetheless, it was not associated with stress (P = 0.993). Academic grades were not associated with both the level of stress and resilience. Aging, being in clinical or academic stages, smoking, having a chronic disease, and being financially-supported are neither associated with stress nor resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that Egyptian medical students had low resilience and high stress, with a significant relationship between both of them. Further investigations via longitudinal study design to understand the resilience-stress relationship are recommended. Developing and implementing resilience-improving strategies in medical schools is highly recommended to decrease the prevalence of stress and its subsequent burdens.

Depression, anxiety, and stress in medical students in Peru: a cross-sectional study

Objective

To determine the prevalence and factors associated with depressive, anxious, and stress symptoms in medical students in Peru, during the second pandemic wave of COVID-19.

Methods

We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study in 405 medical students from a university in northern Peru. The DASS-21 instrument was used to evaluate mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress), and to investigate their association with socio-educational characteristics.

Results

We found a prevalence of depressive, anxious, and stress symptoms of 71.6% (95% CI: 66.94-75.95), 71.9% (95% CI: 67.2-76.2), and 62.7% (95% CI: 57.8-67.4); respectively. Students with eating behavior disorders had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 1.35), anxious symptoms (PR: 1.27), and stress symptoms (PR: 1.31). The prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 1.57), anxious symptoms (PR: 1.27), and stress symptoms (PR: 1.24) increased in students who did not report regular physical activity. In addition, having almost always academic exhaustion increased the prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 1.46), stress symptoms (PR: 1.72). On the contrary, the prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 0.79), anxious symptoms (PR: 0.73) and stress symptoms (PR: 0.82) decreased in male students. Students who reported sleeping 8 or more hours daily had a lower prevalence of stress symptoms (PR: 0.82).

Conclusion

Symptoms of depression and anxiety occurred in 7 out of 10 students, and stress in 6 out of 10. Among the factors associated with the presence of anxiety, depression, and stress were eating behavior disorder and not regularly exercising. Periodic evaluations of mental symptomatology are required and counseling should be promoted in medical schools.

Is Satisfaction with Online Learning Related to Depression, Anxiety, and Insomnia Symptoms? A Cross-Sectional Study on Medical Undergraduates in Romania

The objective of this study was to investigate online learning satisfaction in a sample of university students and its relationship with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and the average number of hours spent online. A total of 463 medical students were recruited for an online survey conducted from February to March 2022 with the main objective of estimating online learning satisfaction, while secondary outcomes involved assessing the relationship between online learning and depression, anxiety, insomnia, and the average number of hours spent online. A total of 285 participants were female (71.4%) and the mean age was 20.2 years. The results revealed that depression, anxiety, and insomnia are negatively correlated with overall satisfaction with e-learning. The more time students spent online, the greater the overall satisfaction. There are significant differences regarding student perceptions of interactivity in online learning satisfaction outcomes (p < 0.05, η2 partial Eta Squared-0.284). The opportunity to learn via chat-box presented differences in overall satisfaction while pleasant aspects of online learning, such as “no travel” and “economy”, were related to satisfaction. The students revealed that the higher the psychopathology scores, the less satisfied they were with online learning, while a higher number of hours spent online contributed positively to satisfaction.

Musculoskeletal disorders among undergraduate radiography students during work integrated learning in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a group of painful muscle, tendon, and nerve disorders. These disorders are common among healthcare students, including those studying radiography. However, there is a paucity of current literature on the prevalence of MSDs among undergraduate radiography students attending Work Integrated Learning (WIL). To date, no study has been conducted to determine the risk factors for developing MSDs among radiography students in the Kwazulu-Natal province, therefore this study was necessary.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of MSDs and to identify the risk factors associated with MSDs among undergraduate radiography students attending WIL within hospitals in the eThekwini Municipality, Kwazulu-Natal.

METHODS

The research conducted was a quantitative study with a descriptive design that targeted radiography students attending WIL within the hospital of eThekwini, KwaZulu Natal. The research questionnaires about the prevalence of MSDs and associated risk factors were given to the students who consented to participate in the study. The data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 23.

RESULTS

In total, 144 questionnaires were utilised for statistical analysis, the number of females (76.4%) was higher than men (23.6%). The majority of the participants were aged between 20 to 24 years year old (81.3%). The results further showed a significantly high prevalence of MSDs among the radiography students (92.4%). The most common areas of pain reported by the participants were the lower back (79.7%), neck (72.2%) and upper back (54.1%). The statistically significant risk factors for MSDs among students were bending (p =0.038.), stress (p= 0.028) and depression (p=0.032).

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The study showed that the prevalence of MSDs is high among undergraduate radiography students during WIL. To prevent the recurrence of MSDs among students, it is recommended that the faculty of health sciences and the radiography department design and implement suitable interventions, such as an educational program/training on ergonomics practice.

The prevalence and risk factors of mental problems in medical students during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This meta-analysis and systematic review aimed to evaluate the global prevalence and risk factors of mental problems (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, sleep disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), burnout, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation) among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, psycARTICLES, PsycINFO, CNKI, and Wan Fang for studies on the prevalence of mental problems among medical students from January 1, 2020, to April 1, 2022. The pooled prevalence was calculated by random-effect models. We performed a narrative review to identify the risk factors.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included 201 studies (N = 198,000). The prevalence of depression (41 %, 95 % CI, 37-45 %,), anxiety (38 %,95 % CI, 34 %-42 %), stress (34 %, 95 % CI, 27 %-42 %), sleep disorder (52 %, 95 % CI, 44 %-60 %), psychological distress (58 %, 95 % CI, 51 %-65 %), PTSD (34 %, 95 % CI, 22 %-46 %), suicidal ideation (15 %, 95 % CI, 11 %-18 %) and burnout (38 %, 95 % CI, 25 %-50 %) was high. The major risk factors were being female, being junior or preclinical students, exposure to COVID-19, academic stress, psychiatric or physical disorders history, economic trouble, fear of education impairment, online learning trouble, fear of infection, loneliness, low physical activity, low social support, problematic internet or smartphone use, and young age.

LIMITATIONS

Most studies were cross-sectional. Few studies provided a reasonable response rate, suggesting potential selection bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated a high prevalence and risk factors for mental problems during COVID-19, calling for mental health services. Our findings are valuable for college and health authorities to identify high-risk students and provide targeted intervention.

Assessing Physiological and Psychological Factors Contributing to Stress among Medical Students: Implications for Health

Background: Physiological responses to stress disturb internal homeostasis, leading to serious health consequences. Medical students experience high stress levels that should be managed promptly to prevent stress-related impacts on students' health and education. Aim: This study aims to identify the relationship between stress factors, general health, and academic performance. Methods: This study recruited 421 medical students of all academic years. Participants completed an online survey assessing stress levels using a validated 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. Stress was also compared with students' health and academic performance. Results: We found that 93.6% of our sample experienced moderate to severe stress, and 31% reported increased stress due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Except for internship students, stress significantly decreases as students progress each academic year (p < 0.05). Students with higher GPAs and with comorbidities are more stressed. Comorbidities were primarily reported in students in their final years of education with a 4% lower GPA than healthy students. Although we had three stress-related themes (general, academic, and pandemic), students' perceptions of stress factors were primarily academically related. Conclusions: Students experience high stress levels in their final educational years, which might increase the risk of health issues and low academic performance. It is essential to innovate stress-coping strategies specially designed for medical students and mandatorily provided by all medical colleges and to educate students on the effects of stress on their health.