Prevalence of Stress among Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students

Background: Medical education is perceived as being stressful with effect on mental health of the students. Previous studies have shown high levels of distress among medical students. It can have impact on the emotional well-being as well as on the academic performance of the students. Stress and its coping strategies have not been investigated intensively in physiotherapy students. This study explores the various levels of stress, stressor and their coping strategies.

Method: A cross sectional observational study questionnaire based survey was carried out among undergraduate physiotherapy students of M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Department of Physiotherapy, Bangalore. Stress was assessed using Perceived Stress Score 10(PSS 10) questionnaire. Other questionnaire like General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ 12), Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences Inventory (ACOPE), Undergraduate Stress Questionnaire (USQ) was used to find out the different aspects and the coping strategies as well. Mean values of all were used to compare the scores between the years. Test of correlation is done between PSS 10 and GHQ 12.

Results: 98 students of Bachelor of Physiotherapy from various years participated in this study. It was found that 3rd year students had the highest stress compared to other years. It was also found that they use different coping mechanism to help alleviate stress which ranges from being with someone, listening to music to the least accepted such as smoking and consumption of drugs. There is a moderate correlation seen between GHQ 12 and PSS 10.

Conclusion: The results highlighted that high level of stress existed in the students with academic and personal issues being the matter of concern. The students did employ positive as well as negative coping strategies to alleviate it.