Evaluation of Key Pointers of Physical, Emotional and Mental Health among Medical Students: A Cross Sectional Study to Understand the Lifestyle Areas Needing Improvement

Anil  Mishra; Vinod Kumar  Sharma; Anil K Dixit

doi:10.5455/njcm.20201002083311

Authors

Anil Mishra Department of Community Medicine, People’s College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre (PCMS & RC), Bhopal
Vinod Kumar Sharma Department of Community Medicine, People’s College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre (PCMS & RC), Bhopal
Anil K Dixit Department of Community Medicine, People’s College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre (PCMS & RC), Bhopal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5455/njcm.20201002083311

Keywords:

medical students, Lifestyle, health profile, mental health, stress

Abstract

Introduction: Medical schools are the places where students learn the art of allaying people’s sufferings in ill health and of saving their lives. Various studies have shown that medical training and education are stressful and require remedial approaches for benefitting medical students.

Objectives: To understand the prevailing life style related health pointers, having potential adverse effect physical, emotional and mental health, among the MBBS students.

Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional assessment involving 82 respondents.

Results: Average age of the study group was 21.61 years, with a majority (89%) belonging to urban areas, around 44% belonging to business family background. The average BMI for the group was 23.02, with 15.85% having BMI 25 or more (overweight). Only 31.71% respondents considered themselves healthy and fit, 53% were doing regular physical activities in any form. Questions related to inability to concentrate in the classroom, losing interest in hobbies, managing studies, feeling sad, depressed, anxious and worried, getting irritated on minor issues, language barrier, ability to express clearly etc. also revealed some valuable findings.

Conclusion: The study findings indicate the need for developing institutional approaches for bringing necessary lifestyle changes to address the issue.

References

Rosal MC, Ockene IS, Ockene JK, Barrett SV, Ma Y, Hebert JR. A longitudinal study of students' depression at one medical school. Acad Med. 1997 Jun;72(6):542-6. doi: 10.1097/00001888-199706000-00022. PMID: 9200590.

Dyrbye LN, Thomas MR, Shanafelt TD. Medical student distress: Causes, consequences, and proposed solutions. Mayo Clinic proceedings. 2005 Dec;80(12):1613-1622. https://doi.org/10.4065/80.12.1613

Miller PM, Surtees PG. Psychological symptoms and their course in first-year medical students as assessed by the In-terval General Health Questionnaire (I-GHQ). Br J Psychia-try. 1991 Aug; 159:199-207. doi: 10.1192/bjp.159.2.199. PMID: 1837748.

Goldberg, D., Bridges, K., Duncan-Jones, P., & Grayson, D. (1988). Detecting anxiety and depression in general medical settings. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 297(6653), 897–899. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.297.6653.897

Guthrie, E., Black, D., Bagalkote, H., Shaw, C., Campbell, M., & Creed, F. (1998). Psychological stress and burnout in medical students: a five-year prospective longitudinal study. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 91(5), 237–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/014107689809100502

Moffat KJ, McConnachie A, Ross S, Morrison JM. First year medical student stress and coping in a problem-based learning medical curriculum. Med Educ. 2004 May;38(5):482-91. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2929.2004.01814. x. PMID: 15107082.

Firth J. (1986). Levels and sources of stress in medical stu-dents. British medical journal (Clinical research ed.), 292(6529), 1177–1180. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.292.6529.1177.

Dyrbye LN, Thomas MR, Shanafelt TD. Systematic review of depression, anxiety, and other indicators of psychologi-cal distress among U.S. and Canadian medical students. Acad Med. 2006 Apr;81(4):354-73. doi: 10.1097/00001888-200604000-00009. PMID: 16565188.

Wolf TM. Stress, coping and health: enhancing well-being during medical school. Med Educ. 1994 Jan;28(1):8-17; dis-cussion 55-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923. 1994.tb02679. x. PMID: 8208174.

Mosley TH Jr, Perrin SG, Neral SM, Dubbert PM, Grothues CA, Pinto BM. Stress, coping, and well-being among third-year medical students. Acad Med. 1994 Sep;69(9):765-7. doi: 10.1097/00001888-199409000-00024. PMID: 8074778.

Vaquera, E., & Kao, G. (2008). Do You Like Me as Much as I Like You? Friendship Reciprocity and Its Effects on School Outcomes among Adolescents. Social science research, 37(1), 55–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2006.11.002.

Why It’s Important to Balance Studies and Play. Available at: https://www.columbia.ab.ca/why-its-important-to-balance-studies-and-play/ (Columbia college, Calgury) Re-accessed on 30th October, 2020

Hogan, Marjorie J., Parker, James D. A., Wiener, Judith, Watters, Carolyn, Wood, Laura M. and Oke, Amber (2010) 'Academic success in adolescence: Relationships among verbal IQ, social support and emotional intelligence', Aus-tralian Journal of Psychology, 62: 1, 30 — 41.