Table 1.
Medical student perceptions of the degree to which various factors contribute to their stress by medical school class year.
| Factors contributing to stress | Not at all (%) | A little (%) | A moderate amount (%) | A lot (%) | X2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic workload ● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
3.4 1.2 1.8 2.1 0.0 |
7.5 10.7 9.6 17.8 0.0 |
40.1 36.4 36.7 47.9 75.0 |
52.0 51.8 51.8 32.2 25.0 |
28.8** |
| Inadequate study habits● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
19.0 23.7 25.3 31.5 0.0 |
43.5 40.3 33.1 34.2 25.0 |
21.8 24.1 24.1 22.6 25.0 |
15.6 11.9 17.5 11.6 50.0 |
19.0 |
| Poor time-management skills● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 252) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
26.2 28.6 27.7 37.0 0.0 |
43.9 40.5 38.6 36.3 75.0 |
19.4 22.2 20.5 18.5 25.0 |
10.5 8.7 13.3 8.2 0.0 |
12.0 |
| Competition with peers● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 165) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
40.6 32.8 21.2 39.0 25.0 |
38.9 40.7 45.5 39.9 25.0 |
16.0 16.6 24.2 13.0 25.0 |
4.4 19.9 9.1 8.2 25.0 |
28.6** |
| Time spent commuting● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
60.9 59.3 37.3 57.5 75.0 |
30.6 32.0 36.1 27.4 25.0 |
6.5 5.9 18.1 10.3 0.0 |
2.0 2.8 8.4 4.8 0.0 |
47.2*** |
| Conflicts in work–life balance● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 145) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
29.6 22.9 10.8 19.3 0.0 |
26.9 32.0 28.3 30.3 25.0 |
30.6 26.5 31.9 34.5 50.0 |
12.9 18.6 28.9 15.9 25.0 |
38.0*** |
| Romantic relationship management● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
31.3 34.0 18.7 27.4 0.0 |
34.7 31.6 31.3 29.5 50.0 |
22.4 22.1 27.7 26.0 50.0 |
11.6 13.8 22.3 17.1 0.0 |
22.7* |
| Family demands● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
47.6 40.7 27.1 34.2 75.0 |
33.0 35.2 38.6 34.9 0.0 |
13.3 14.6 19.3 20.5 25.0 |
6.1 9.5 15.1 10.3 0.0 |
30.3** |
| Financial difficulties● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 164) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
48.1 39.5 32.3 28.8 25.0 |
31.3 30.8 38.4 39.7 50.0 |
15.4 17.0 15.2 19.9 25.0 |
5.1 12.6 14.0 11.6 0.0 |
29.8** |
| Psychological/Psychiatric condition● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 166) ● MS4 (n = 146) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
66.7 60.9 59.6 61.0 25.0 |
20.7 21.3 18.1 21.9 25.0 |
8.8 9.1 13.3 10.3 25.0 |
3.7 8.7 9.0 6.8 25.0 |
14.6 |
| Other medical condition● MS1 (n = 294) ● MS2 (n = 253) ● MS3 (n = 163) ● MS4 (n = 145) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
81.6 74.7 73.0 76.6 50.0 |
11.9 19.0 15.3 16.6 25.0 |
4.4 3.2 9.2 4.8 0.0 |
2.0 3.2 2.5 2.1 25.0 |
23.0* |
| Exposure to human suffering● MS1 (n = 291) ● MS2 (n = 248) ● MS3 (n = 162) ● MS4 (n = 144) ● MS5+ (n = 4) |
70.1 72.2 48.8 45.1 100.0 |
24.4 20.6 40.1 38.9 0.0 |
4.5 3.6 6.2 15.3 0.0 |
1.0 3.6 4.9 2.8 0.0 |
68.1*** |
Notes: MS1: First year medical student; MS2: second year medical student; MS3: third year medical student; MS4: fourth year medical student; MS5+: fifth year student or higher. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.