. Ali Salehi Sahlabadi; . Faezeh Abbasi Balochkhaneh; . Seyed Nouredin Hosseini Gousheh; . Javad Vatani; . Maliheh Eshaghzadeh; . Hamideh Bidel
Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-6
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Medical students are exposed to stresses which have irreversible consequences,such as suicidal ideation. The present study aimed to investigate the level of occupational ...
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BACKGROUND: Medical students are exposed to stresses which have irreversible consequences,such as suicidal ideation. The present study aimed to investigate the level of occupational stress inmedical students and its relationship with the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attention amongthem and then provide mental health promotion approaches.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional descriptive study was performed on325 undergraduate medical students residing at the dormitory of Shahid Beheshti University of MedicalSciences. The sample size was determined by the census method. Osipow and Suicide BehaviorsQuestionnaires were used to measure job stress and suicidal ideation, respectively. The conditionof entry into the study was living in the dormitory and spent at least one semester. Linear regressionand logistic regression were used to examine the relationship between variables.RESULTS: The mean score of occupational stress among students with a mean age of 21 (±2.18)years was 158.84 (±27.07) and 60% (n = 180) of students had high levels of stress. Therewas a significant relationship between age and educational level with stress level and suicidalideation (P < 0.05). They had the highest effect on stress (P = 0.031) and suicidal ideation (P = 0.001),respectively, among students. High level of stress was 11.829 times more likely to have suicidalthoughts than low‑stress level (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: Stress and suicidal ideation are much higher in students of lower semesters andlower ages than students with higher semesters. Students should learn how and with what approachto control and manage exposure to stressors. Measures such as holding stress management trainingcourses as well as managing stressful situations are among the effective measures in improvingmental health and reducing stress levels and its effects.