Department of Psychiatry, T.N. Medical College, B.Y.L Nair Ch hospital, Mumbai-400000, affiliated with Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, Maharashtra, India
*Email: 143bhushan.patil@gmail.com
Online published on 3 August, 2013.
The medical profession is stressful, which affects overall well-being of medical interns and this stress is mostly related to the vast curriculum. Coping strategies used to deal with stress determine perceived stress and quality of life (QOL).
To assess perceived stress, QOL and coping mechanisms used by medical interns and to find relation between all these parameters.
Hundred interns of a recently graduated batch of both genders were included in the study. A semi-structured proforma and perceived stress scale, mechanism of coping scale and world health organizations QOL scale were the tools of assessment. SPSS v. 16 and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis.
56% of medical interns perceived high stress. Academic factors were predominant stress-inducing factor and music was a predominant stress reliever. Social and psychological QOL was more affected and problem-based coping was predominantly used as coping mechanism. Though problem-based coping was associated with greater perceived stress (r=0.235, P<0.05) but overall QOL was better with problem solving (r=0.337, P<0.01).
Stress is indeed common in medical interns. Use of problem-based coping is associated with better QOL in them.
Medical interns, Perceived stress, Quality of life, coping mechanisms
