Open AccessA cross‐sectional study of stress and its sources among health professional students at Makerere University, Uganda
Author(s) -
Amanya Sharon Bright,
Nakitende Joyce,
Ngabirano Tom Denis
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
nursing open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.55
H-Index - 12
ISSN - 2054-1058
DOI - 10.1002/nop2.113
Subject(s) - stressor , cross sectional study , psychosocial , medicine , curriculum , recreation , data collection , family medicine , medical education , psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , pedagogy , statistics , mathematics , pathology , political science , law
Aim To assess prevalence of stress and its sources among undergraduate health professional students at Makerere University. Design This was a descriptive cross‐sectional study using quantitative methods of data collection. Methods The study was conducted among 258 undergraduate health professional students (Medical, Dental and, Nursing students) at Makerere University. From each programme, students were recruited proportionately, while being selected conveniently from each year of study. Stress was measured using the General Health Questionnaire 12 and stressors assessed using a questionnaire developed from literature. After obtaining ethics approval, data were collected from consenting students. Data collected were analysed using SPSS statistical program. Results The prevalence of stress was found to be 57.4% and stressors of academic and psychosocial origin were most frequently reported. The top stressors included; academic curriculum (38%), dissatisfaction with class lectures (30.9%), long distance walk (29.5%), lack of time for recreation (28.9%), performance in examination (28.3%), lack of special guidance from faculty (26.7%) and high parental expectations (26.7%).