PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG FIRST YEAR STUDENTS IN A MEDICAL COLLEGE IN J AND K, INDIA

BACKGROUND Environment of medical school has rightly been recognised as stressful with the initial year being the most distressing. This study was therefore carried out to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among first year medical students at SKIMS Medical College, J and K, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was carried out among the first year medical students of SKIMS Medical College using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). RESULTS The overall response rate was 86% ( 86 out of 100). Depression, anxiety and stress have been reported in 65.1%, 77.9% and 52.3% of participants respectively. Single psychological illness was present in 20.1%, while 22.0% had two and 41.8% had three coexistent psychological illnesses. No significant association was found between gender difference (Male/Female), religion (Muslim/ Non-Muslim) and habitat (Urban/ Rural) and the psychological distress in the form of depression, anxiety or stress. Significant association of present residence (Home/ Hostel) with respect to depression and anxiety was found, but the association with stress was non-significant. CONCLUSION The high level of psychological distress emphasises the fact that there is an urgent need for introduction of specific measures that will help in reducing depression, anxiety and stress among medical students. There is also a need for further research to be carried out on a large sample in different medical colleges of the state.