T. Siva Kala1, Y. Padma Sri2
INTRODUCTION: Medical education is perceived as very stressful. Amongst medical students, stress had been reported to be due to academic demands, exams, inability to cope, increased psychological pressure, and too much work load. All this can result in altered physical and mental health among students. In this context this study is done to identify stress factors and their influence on the health of medical students of Kurnool Medical College.
OBJECTIVES: 1) Comparison of perceived academic stress between 3rd and 7th semester medical students. 2) To identify the Causes of the perceived academic stress 3) to study the Changes in physical, mental, psychological and emotional health. 4) To study Life-style changes since entering medical college.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted during September and October 2014, at Kurnool medical college, Kurnool. The 3rd & 7th semester Medical students (279 in number) were included in the study and prior consent is taken after explaining the objectives of the study.
THE STUDY INSTRUMENT: The latest version of the questionnaire (2007) on the “Influence of Studying on Students’ Health” (ISSH) developed by the International Federation of Medical Students’ Association (IFMSA) slightly modified to the local context.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: chi-square test and percentages.
RESULTS: 279 3rd semester & 7th semester medical students are interviewed in the study, of that 92.47% had experienced stress at one time or another due to studies.
CONCLUSIONS: Medical students were at higher risk of physical and mental health problems due to academic stress. Perceived stress and stress related health problems are found in majority of medical students which are increasing as the semester’s progress.
