A Comparative Study of Perceived Stress among Female Medical and Non-Medical University Students in Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Journal Title: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal - Year 2010, Vol 10, Issue 2
Abstract
Te objective of this study was to investigate any differences between female undergraduate medical and non-medical students for: 1) prevalence and causes of perceived academic stress, and 2) changes in physical, mental, psychological and emotional health as well as life-style since starting college studies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Dammam University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in January 2008. All 319 pre-clinical female medical students were included in the study and 297 non-medical students from the College of Applied Studies and Community Services (CASCS) were selected by stratifed random sampling. Te study instrument was a questionnaire on the “Influence of Studying on Students’ Healthâ€. Results: More medical students (48.6%) reported being frequently stressed due to studies than CASCS students (38.7%, P <0.01). Unsuitable teaching methods, an unsatisfactory study environment, and fear of failure in examinations were more frequently mentioned by medical than non-medical students (P <0.05). While underlying social problems were signifcantly more common in medical students, economic problems were more prevalent among CASCS students (P <0.05, P <0.05). More medical than non-medical students reported a worse status of physical and mental health, anxiety and depression and negative life-style changes since initiation of the college programme. Conclusion: Medical students were at higher risk of physical and mental health problems than non-medical students due to academic stress. Since a substantial proportion of CASCS students also experienced academic stress, we recommend that a student support committee be established for both colleges to provide counselling and guidance in healthy ways to cope with stress.
Authors and Affiliations
Badria K Al-Dabal| Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Dammam University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Manal R Koura| Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Dammam University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Parveen Rasheed| Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Dammam University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Latifa Al-Sowielem| Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Dammam University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Suhair M Makki| Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Dammam University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Keywords
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