Prevalence of Stress, Anxiety and its association with Sleep Quality among Undergraduate Medical Students in a Medical College in Eastern India: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47203/IJCH.2026.v38i03.005Keywords:
Stress, Psychological, Anxiety Disorders, Sleep Wake Disorders, Students, Medical, Sleep HygieneAbstract
Background and Objectives: Stress is a widespread and well-recognised problem among medical students globally, with reported prevalence varying from 21% to 94%. Sleep problems are similarly widespread and linked to emotional distress. However, data from medical colleges in Eastern India remain limited. This study aimed to assess stress and anxiety, and their association with sleep quality among undergraduate medical students.
Study design and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among MBBS students (18–25 years) at a medical college in Eastern India. Students with chronic physical or psychiatric illness were excluded. Data were collected using a pretested anonymous questionnaire incorporating the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analysed using SPSS v20 with chi-square tests, t-tests, and multivariable logistic regression; p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the 278 participants, the mean age was 21.18 ± 1.75 years, and 65.8% were females. Moderate stress was reported by 63.4% and severe stress by 23.7%. Mild, moderate, and severe anxiety were present in 35.9%, 25.1%, and 12.2% of students, respectively. Poor sleep quality (PSQI ≥ 5) was observed in 81.5% of participants. Poor sleep was significantly associated with higher stress and anxiety and was more common among females and younger students. In adjusted analyses, moderate stress, moderate anxiety, and severe anxiety remained independent predictors of poor sleep.
Conclusion: Stress, anxiety, and poor sleep are highly prevalent among undergraduate medical students in Eastern India. Moderate stress, moderate and severe anxiety were associated with poor sleep.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sandhya Gupta, Sristi Agarwal (Author); Venkatarao Epari (Corresponding Author)
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