Title: A comparative study of stress among students of Dental and Engineering Colleges of Annamalai University

Authors: Dr Bhuvaneswaran D, Dr Asokkumar M, Dr Raja Sigamani K, Dr Antony Jeya Sekar C

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i10.114

Abstract

   

University students are exposed to various level of stress due to ever increasing load of their curriculum that might not match with their academic outcomes. The objectives of the study was undertaken in order to assess the proportion of stress among students of dental and engineering colleges, and the association of stress with various social and health-related factors. Comparative cross sectional Study was conducted over a period of six month in Rajah Muthiah Dental College and Engineering college of Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar and Chidambaram. Self-innovated proforma to elicit the socio demographic data like name, age, sex, education-course studying were obtained. Standard Process Stress Assess (SPSA) - The standard process stress assess scale was used to assess the level of stress among professional students.

Results: Out of the 200 students mild stress was present in 26 students (13%), while 155 (77.5%) had moderate stress and 19 (9.5%) had severe stress. According to the students’ field of education, 68.4% dental students, (31.6%) engineering students had severe stress. In terms of the student residence, 16 students from rural areas (84.2%) had severe tress as compared to 3 from the urban area (15.8%).

Conclusion: high proportion of severe stress was found in dental students, which is independently associated with increased morbidity leading to reduced performance. Early identification and treatment of these will enhance the quality of life through an improvement in biological and behavioural mechanisms related to deterioration of illness.

Keywords: Stress, Standard Process Stress Assess (SPSA).

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Corresponding Author

Dr Bhuvaneswaran D

Postgraduate, Department of Psychiatry, Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu