title: Stress among First and Third Year Medical Students at University Kebangsaan Malaysia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the stress-prevalence and coping-strategies among University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational study conducted among 234 UKM first and third year medical students. Standardized questionnaire on stress and coping strategies was used. Stress data was related to subjective experiences on some positive and negative adjectives such as tense, relaxed etc. Positive adjectives were measured by sign "++" and "+" scoring "1" while stress-negative adjectives were measured by sign "?" and "-" scoring "0". Forty-eight coping items under task, emotion and avoidance strategies were measured using 5-point Likert-scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall stress-prevalence was 49%. Female and Malay respondents were more stressed. Significant differences of stress-level was observed between Malays and non Malays in first year (p=0.04) and in third year (p=0.01). Most common strategies used to cope stress was task-oriented while emotion oriented was least.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stress-prevalence and stress-level in UKM medical students was high. Most of the respondents coped stress using task-oriented strategies. Stressor and its effective management must be ensured. Educational institutions should act as a creative designer of learning environment to get relieve from educational stressor.
authors: Abdus Salam, MBBS; MPH; PgDipMedEd, MMedEd. Associate Professor, Medical Education Department.
authors: Abdus
authors: A
authors: Salam
authors: Raynuha Mahadevan, BA Hons; MA. Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry.
authors: Raynuha
authors: R
authors: Mahadevan
authors: Amir Abdul Rahman, Final Year Medical Students, Medical Education Department, Special Study Module Research Group-47, Session 2013/2014.
authors: Amir
authors: A
authors: Abdul Rahman
authors: Norsyafiqah Abdullah, Final Year Medical Students, Medical Education Department, Special Study Module Research Group-47, Session 2013/2014.
authors: Norsyafiqah
authors: N
authors: Abdullah
authors: Aimi Aqilah Abd Harith, Final Year Medical Students, Medical Education Department, Special Study Module Research Group-47, Session 2013/2014.
authors: Aimi Aqilah
authors: AA
authors: Abd Harith
authors: Chu Pei Shan, Final Year Medical Students, Medical Education Department, Special Study Module Research Group-47, Session 2013/2014.
authors: Chu Pei
authors: CP
authors: Shan
keywords: Coping strategies; Medical students; Stress prevalence