Perception of stress and coping tactics among medical students at Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

• Published in: Archives of Mental Health 2018-01, Vol.19 (2), p.166-168
• Main Authors: Fatima, Zeenat, Mushtaq, Shahnawaz, Shaan, Faisal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: coping; medical students; stress
• ISSN: 2589-9171; 2589-918X
• DOI: 10.4103/AMH.AMH_23_18

Introduction: Medical students face a number of stressors because of time pressure, which affects their academic performance and quality of life. Previous studies have shown that coping reduce the level of stress among medical students. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the level of stress and coping mechanism among medical students. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 first-year medical students at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh (130 males and 70 females), were invited to fill in a self-administered questionnaire in the 2017–2018 academic year. The questionnaire comprised of 12 items on stress factors and 10 items on coping strategies. The responses were measured quantitatively on a five-point Likert scale. Result and Discussion: The response rate was high. Different stress factors and coping strategies were identified by students. The prevalence of perceived stress among medical students was high. This might affect not only their academic performance but also other aspects of their life as well. There is a wide range of strategies for coping with stress that could play an important role in helping students to cope with stress.