Assessment of perceived stress and association with sleep quality and attributed stressors among 1(st)-year medical students: A cross-sectional study from Karwar, Karnataka, India

OBJECTIVES: The objective is to study the extent of perceived stress among 1(st)-year medical students using the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) and its association with sleep quality as assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and attributed stressors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 121 1(st)-year medical students at Karwar Institute of Medical Sciences, Karwar, Karnataka, India. The extent of their stress was assessed using the PSS-14 and their sleep quality was assessed using the PSQI. Graded stress exerted by the attributed stressors was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 33.8% of participants had perceived stress scores of >28. Among academic stressors, performance in examinations (34.7%), lack of time for recreation (30.6%), curriculum (24.8%), and frequency of examinations (24.8%) were the highest rated stressors. Quality of food in the mess (50.4%) and lack of entertainment in the institution (39.7%) were the highest rated psychosocial stressors. There was a positive correlation between the PSS-14 scores and various academic stressors and the global PSQI score. CONCLUSION: First-year medical students reported a high level of stress, including academic and psychosocial stressors. Effective changes in the curriculum and living conditions can reduce the level of stress among these students.