Perceived stress and associated factors among medical students.
BACKGROUND
Stress and its psychological manifestations are currently a major source of concern. Medical education poses challenging and potentially threatening demands for students throughout the world.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and factors associated with perceived stress in medical students in the College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study on all medical students of batches 9, 10, and 11, which constituted all the enrolled students. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on the Kessler10 psychological distress instrument with a total score ranging from 10 to 50 points in addition to some sociodemographic characteristics. Appropriate statistical test procedures were used to study the magnitude of stress and its risk factors.


RESULTS
Mean stress score of the eighty participants was 26.03 ± 9.7. Students with severe stress constituted 33.8%, and 30% were well. Severe stress was significantly associated with female gender and junior level. Nervousness, feeling hopeless, feeling restless, and depressed were the most important factors affecting students' stress scores. Factor analysis revealed three hidden factors for stress in this group, namely, depression, nervousness, and age.


CONCLUSIONS
Stress in medical students is prevalent and significantly associated with the female gender and the junior level. Implementation of coping programs is necessary.
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Fahd Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abdalla A
AA
Saeed
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Fahd Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed A
AA
Bahnassy
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Fahd Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Nasser A
NA
Al-Hamdan
College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Faisal S
FS
Almudhaibery
College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Anisah Z
AZ
Alyahya
Factors; Riyadh; medical students; stress