Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to examine self-perceived stress of health professions students at the Faculty of Medicine Foča, and to explore its association with anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life.
Methods: The cross-sectional study enrolled 451 students at the Faculty of Medicine (medicine, dentistry, nursing and speech therapy). Survey instruments were distributed at the conclusion of the spring semester during the last required lecture for each year and study programme class. Perceived stress was assessed using the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale. The students were evaluated for symptoms of depression and anxiety, using Zung's self-assessment inventory for depression and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). European Quality of Life-5 dimensions were used for describing and evaluating health. Multivariate analyses were carried out using logistic regression to examine the relationship between the outcome variable and selected determinant factors.
Results: A high degree of stress was reported by 1.6% of students, while the majority of students had either moderate (70.6%) or low degree (27.5%) of stress. The significant independent factors associated with perceived stress were anxiety score (OR, 0.339; CI 95%, 0.276-0.403) and EQ-5D score (OR, 0.044; CI 95%, 0.033-0.085). A high degree of perceived stress (OR, 0.624; CI 95%, 0.507-0.704), the presence of depression (OR, 0.800; CI 95%, 0.513-1.087), and low quality of life were associated with anxiety (OR, 0.073; CI 95%, 0.018-0.128).
Conclusion: Higher levels of perceived stress predispose health professions students for anxiety and lower quality of life. The study programme was not a significant determinant of perceived stress sore.
Uvod: Namen študije je bil preučiti samo-zaznan stres študentov zdravstvenih ved na Medicinski fakulteti Foča in raziskati njegovo povezavo z anksioznostjo, depresijo in z zdravjem povezano kakovostjo življenja.
Metode: Presečna študija je vključevala 451 študentov Medicinske fakultete (medicina, zobozdravstvo, zdravstvena nega in govorna terapija). Raziskovalna orodja so bila razdeljena ob koncu spomladanskega semestra med zadnjimi obveznimi predavanji za vsak letnik in študijski program. Zaznan stres je bil ocenjen z uporabo 14-stopenjske lestvice za zaznavanje stresa. Med študenti smo ocenili simptome depresije in aksioznosti z uporabo Zungovega vprašalnika za samooceno depresije in orodja Spielbergerjevega vprašalnika za oceno anksioznosti (STAI). Za opis in vrednotenje zdravja so bili uporabljeni vprašalniki o kakovosti življenja EQ-5D. Za proučevanje povezav med spremenljivko izidov in izbranimi determinantami so bile izvedene multivariatne analize z uporabo logistične represije.
Rezultati: O visoki stopnji stresa je poročalo 1,6% študentov, medtem ko je večina študentov poročala o srednji (70,6%) ali nizki (27,5%) stopnji stresa. Pomembni neodvisni dejavniki, ki so bili povezani z zaznavanjem stresa, so bili rezultati vprašalnika o anksioznosti (OR 0,339; CI 95%, 0,276-0,403) in rezultati vprašalnika EQ-5D (OR 0,044; CI 95%, 0,033-0,085). Visoke stopnje zaznanega stresa (OR 0,624; CI 95%, 0,507-0,704), prisotnost depresije (OR 0,800; CI 95%, 0,513-1,087) in slaba kakovost življenja so bili povezani z anksioznostjo (OR 0,073; CI 95%, 0,018-0,128).
Zaključek: Višje stopnje zaznanega stresa so predispozicija za anksioznost in nižjo kakovost življenja študentov zdravstvenih ved. Študijski program ni bil bistvena determinanta za zaznavanje stopnje stresa.
Keywords: anxiety; assessment; quality of life; stress; students.