Reassuring the medical students’ disease – Health related anxiety among medical students

Figures & data

Table

Practice points

MSD is common among medical students. This phenomenon can be better characterized by breaking it down to its components. While the perceptual–cognitive process increased gradually, the emotional–distress rates changed during medical studies. There was no change in interference with life scores. By defining it as a normal process, one can assist in guiding medical students during their studies.

Table 1.  Demographic data, medicinal treatment, and medical supervision

Year of studies
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Average
Average age (SD)*	22.59 (2.13)	22.53 (1.60)	24.54 (2.59)	24.96 (2.70)	25.48 (2.27)	26.65 (2.90)	24.62 (2.37)
Average year of immigration (SD)**	1990.43 (2.71)	1989.25 (2.19)	1988.4 (5.68)	1989.83 (5.84)	1989.6 (1.82)	1989.7 (6.25)	1989.62 (4.57)
Females (%)	60.00	60.24	42.17	62.92	50.00	58.02	55.64
Number of completed questionnaires	85	83	83	89	84	81	84.17
Under regular medicinal treatment (including OC and NSAIDs)**(%)	43.53	48.19	45.78	46.07	45.24	46.91	45.94
Under routine medical supervision**(%)	12.49	20.48	16.87	12.36	10.71	17.28	15.05

Notes: OC, oral contraceptives; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

*p < 0.01; **NS.

Figure 1. Percentage of students who visited a physician during the last year.

Figure 2. MSD–perception scale.

Figure 3. MSD–distress scale.

Figure 4. HAQ subscales.