Fadiga e estresse acadêmico no estudante de medicina

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is defined as complete physical, mental and social well-being. Thus, the exhausting routine of medical students results in sleep deprivation, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, increasing psychological and physical exhaustion, which results in impaired quality of life and increased fatigue and stress. This study aimed to analyze the associated factors and the correlation between fatigue and academic stress in medical students. This is an analytical cross sectional study with a quantitative approach. The research was conducted through questionnaires applied online to medical students in Brazil. These questionnaires were: sociodemographic, Chalder Fatigue Scale and Academic Stress Scale. The study considered 306 medical students, with a predominance of females (65.7%) and an average age of 22 years. The fatigue score was statistically significant in students who did not practice any physical activity (p=0.001), slept less than 7 hours per night (p=0.001), were not satisfied with their academic performance (p=0.001), had thought about dropping out of the course (p=0.001) and those who reported having a diagnosed psychiatric illness (p=0.001). Regarding academic stress, the stress score was statistically significant in students who did not practice physical activity (p=0.013), slept less than 7 hours per night (p=0.013), were not satisfied with their academic performance (p=0.001), had thought about dropping out of the course (p=0.001), reported having a diagnosed psychiatric illness (p=0.006) and dedicated less than 2 hours to leisure daily (p=0.019). Thus, the study proved that fatigue and academic stress are correlated and that both are influenced by sociodemographic aspects of medical students. This finding is relevant, since fatigue and stress have negative impacts on the lives of these students.