Introduction
The lives of university students are subjected to different stress situations. Some of the sources of pressure for these individuals include personal and social issues and academic anxiety. Medical students have to adapt to the rigorous curriculum while at the same time learning how to manage emotionally challenging situations. (1) The research determines the prevalence of anxiety among Saudi Medical students. It includes a summary of the study, a discussion of the results, and a conclusion on the study topic.
Summary
The article is on an investigation to determine the prevalence of stress and the risk factors of anxiety among Saudi medical students. King Faisa University in Saudi Arabia was chosen for the study. The survey research design was applied to study students from the Faculty of Medicine in the institution in 2013. (1) Both male and female students totalling 650 were chosen as the sample size, with 244 participating in the current faculty. Questionnaires were used to collect data, and a score of stress was calculated.
The study indicated a prevalence of stress at 53% among the Saudi students in the medical faculty. Gender was determined to have no role in developing anxiety among students. Those that had friends to spend time with showed low levels of stress. The research outcomes considered the medical students’ environments both at school and in their homes. Such considerations were meant to exhaust all the factors that could lead to stress in the students. The investigation concluded that medical students’ sources of stress include social problems and the need to achieve their academic goals.
Discussion
Stress is an emotional, mental, and physical response to activities in different settings. In familiar situations, anxiety helps individuals become more productive and active. Previous research suggested that the prevalence of stress needs to range from 30% to 50%. (1) The study hence showed a high level of stress cases among medical students. (2) An explanation for the high level of pressure among medical students is that their faculty is more competitive and more stressful. Some of these students want to perform well in their examinations and stretch their limits to achieve their academic goals.
Medical students concentrate on academics, forgetting to participate in recreational activities. These cases can increase the level of stress, and the emotional and physical well-being of such students cannot be achieved when they are always learning and not exercising. Anxiety leads to undesirable effects on the health of students. (2) The study concluded that male students are more stressed than their female counterparts. The argument for the conclusion was that male students are expected to complete their studies within some time and start their career.
Conclusion
Medical students have an increased level of stress compared to students from other faculties. The main factors that lead to increased anxiety in these students comprise psychological and academic domains. Some of the causes of stress among medical students include unsatisfactory college environments, unsuitable teaching techniques, and social problems that a student may be experiencing either in school or at home. Researchers determined that the link between stress and gender, the exposure to learning activities, and psychosocial stressors need further investigation. The current research only provided insights into the behavior of university students and mainly in the medical department. It is crucial to investigate the cause of stress in other faculties.
References
- Rahman AA, Al Hashim BN, Al Hiji NK, Al-Abbad Z. Stress among medical Saudi students at college of medicine, King Faisal University. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene. 2013;54(4):195. Web.
- Saeed AA, Bahnassy AA, Al-Hamdan NA, Almudhaibery FS, Alyahya AZ. Perceived stress and associated factors among medical students. Journal of family & community medicine. 2016;23(3):166. Web.