Abstract

ABSTRACTThis is a cross-sectional study carried out to study stress and the coping strategies among medical students of theUniversity of Basrah for the year 2005. The study involved 300 students (50 students from each class) selectedrandomly. Special question form was designed for the purpose of the study; it included sociodemograhic criteria, likeage, sex, residence and class, academic factors, delay years and coping strategies. The study found that 44.6% of themedical students perceived stress, and the highest prevalence was among the first year followed by the third then thefifth year medical students, with significantly higher rates among females than males, among those originally fromother governorates and among those having delay years. The major reported cause of stress was academic factors andthe current political and security reasons. The response or coping strategies vary between individuals. The studyrecommended that consideration should be given to program developers and health decision makers to focus onsignificant actions to reduce the academic stress perceived by medical students. Psychological consultations have to bein each medical school trying to help the students to face their individual stressors in a healthy way and to increasethe emotional and financial support for the students specially those from other governorates.

The article was added to IASJ on 2012-07-05

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