Stress and Coping Strategies among Medical Students in Zagazig University - A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Medical education is one of the most stressful curricula, in which the medical students face various types of stressors. Coping withstressors needs motivation, guidance, and individual and social support.Objectives:to estimate frequency and predictors of perceived stress, to determine main stressors and stress coping interventions adopted by medical students in faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, during their academic and clinical phases.Method: A prospective cohort study was conducted on163medical studentswho completed the study till its end at faculty of medicine, Zagazig University during period from the beginning of March 2017 to the end of August 2019,using thePerceived Stress Scale, medical student’s stressor questionnaire and brief cope scale.Results: About 69% and 68% of students had moderate to high perceived stress during academic and clinical phases respectively (p>0.5).There was significant relation between perceived stress and social class in both phases. Fair rank, low and middle social class were significant independent predictors for higher stress level in clinical phase (AOR=10.243, 97.503 and 185.776). Academic stressors were higher in both phases. Approach coping significantly increased in clinical phase while Avoidant coping did non-significantly change.Emotional, informational support, reframing and acceptance significantly increased. Self-distraction, self-blame and denial non-significantly decreased.Conclusion: Medical education is a stressful event that threatens physical and mental well-being. Academic and social stressors are the most frequent types during both academic and clinical phases. Approach coping was higher within academic phase and significantly increased in clinical phase with regression of avoidant coping.