. Rahul Srivastava; . Bhuvan Jyoti; . Devina Pradhan; . Manoj Kumar; . Pankaj Priyadarshi
Volume 10, Issue 3 , March 2020, , Pages 1-6
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dental education can be a critical wellspring of stress among dental students,and studies have observed higher levels of stress among dental students than in the all‑inclusivecommunity. ...
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BACKGROUND: Dental education can be a critical wellspring of stress among dental students,and studies have observed higher levels of stress among dental students than in the all‑inclusivecommunity. The present study aims to evaluate the perceived stress among dental undergraduatestudents, the sources of stress, and an association of perceived stress with sociodemographiccharacteristics and various stressors.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 380 undergraduatedental students (from 1st year to final year) in a private dental college, Kanpur. A self‑administeredquestionnaire was used to collect data regarding sociodemographic profile, perceived stress usingPerceived Stress Scale‑14, and academic, psychosocial, and environmental stressors. Data wereanalyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics‑Version 21 (IBM Corp. Released 2012. IBM SPSS Statisticsfor Windows, Version 21.0, Armonk, NY, USA: IBM Corp.).RESULTS: The mean perceived stress score was 30.25 ± 1.914. The median perceived stress scorewas 30. Statistically significant (P < 0.001) values were found for higher age group and year of studyingBachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) were important sociodemographic determinant of stress. Vastnessof academic curricula, frequency of examination (P < 0.05), and fear of failure/poor performancein examinations were important academic determinants of stress. High parental expectations andfamily problems were important psychosocial stressors. Accommodation away from home was animportant predictor of stress (P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: This study revealed that there are various sociodemographic (age and year of studyin BDS), academic (curricula, frequency of examination, and performance level) determinants andpredictors of stress (type of accommodation), along with psychosocial stressors (parental expectationand family problems). Dental colleges should develop stress management programs to promotegender and social equity and strategies to improve psychological support services. The stressmanagement programs reported either helped to reduce the number of stressors or enhance stresscoping skills, using relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, and stress managementprograms.
