Psychological Distress in Undergraduate Medical Students

Stress is a condition that affects a person's physical and mental health. It is a response of the person to the environmental condition including interaction with it, which can pose threat to physical and mental wellbeing of the subject. Every person has certain endurance to cope up with the impending stress but when it increases beyond it, leads to psychological stress.

To assess psychological distress among medical students.

In this study which we planned on 200 medical students 197 participated. These students were admitted recently to the medical college. Using Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) mental wellbeing of the participants was assessed. Participants were informed about the questionnaire and consent was taken as such. Standardised questionnaire was distributed and participants were asked to choose the most adequate option provided.

46.7% i.e. 92 of 197 students (50 female and 42 males, p value 0.283) scored below 20 that show no psychological stress or healthy status. 26.9% i.e. 53 (25 female and 28males, p value 0.6002), students scored 20–24 which shows mild distress and no significant difference between prevalence in both gender. 16.7% i.e. 33 (13 female and 20 males, p value 0.1729) scored 25–29, which shows moderate stress and without any significant difference and students which showed severe distress were 19(9.6%) (11 female and 8 male, p value 0.4747) with no significant difference and scored ≥ 30 on Kessler's score.

Approximately half of students were found of healthy mental status. 38 female students were found in mild to moderate distress as compared to 48 male students. 11 female and 8 male students were found in severe distress.