To Study the Prevalence and Sources of Stress among Medical Students of Sangareddy District

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the stress levels experienced by medical undergraduates in order to
comprehensively evaluate stressors, their sources and contributing factors.
Method: This cross-sectional study conducted at a private medical college in Sangareddy district, used the Kessler
10 Psychological Distress Inventory to evaluate the mental well-being of medical undergraduates. Additional
data points were collected for analysis and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to scrutinize the questionnaire’s
reliability.
Results: This study conducted with a sample size of 320 participants, the prevalence of stress among medical
students was explored. The sample group consisted of 36.25% males and 63.75% females, aged between 18 and 24
years with a mean age of 20.8 years (standard deviation of 1.3). The findings revealed that 72.5% of the medical
students experienced mild to severe stress, with prevalence rates of 22.5% for mild stress, 21.3% for moderate
stress and 28.7% for severe stress. Notably, female students had a slightly higher likelihood of experiencing stress
compared to males.
Conclusion: We discovered that stress is significantly related with various factors such as procrastination,
perceived physical ailments and multiple sources of stress. The most common sources of stress are demanding
academic workloads, exam-related pressures, financial difficulties and personal problems.