HEALTH RELATED CONCERNS IN MEDICAL STUDENTS: STRESS, ANXIETY, AND CONTAMINATION FEAR

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between academic stress, health anxiety, and fear of contamination in the context of MBBS students in Pakistan. Quantitative correlational research design was used. The data were obtained using self-report questionnaires of standardized format, which were given to a sample of MBBS students at various years. The prevalence of these psychological factors and the relationships between them was assessed using statistical analyses. The results have shown that academic stress is positively correlated with the level of health anxiety and contamination phobia, which implies that academic pressures can contribute to the risk of becoming vulnerable to the anxiety-related conditions among medical students. The findings indicate the necessity to introduce specific interventions, including stress management and mental health counseling and psychoeducational workshops, to reduce these problems and facilitate psychological well-being among medical education participants. This research plays a role in the rising literature on mental health concerns among medical students and highlights the importance of institutional measures to address the demands of the struggling students who have academic and psychological problems.