Evaluation of examination stress in I MBBS medical students.

ABSTRACT

Background: As academic examination stresses are associated with changes in the mental and physical health such as increasing anxiety, increasing negative mood. Objective: The objectives for the study were to assess anxiety and sympathetic activity using TMAS and CPT respectively one month before examination and hour before examination .Both these parameters were compared and analysed. Method: Parameters were recorded with the help of Taylor manifest anxiety scale questionnaire and cold pressor test. Students were subjected to the tests between 930 to 1030am one month prior to examination and one hour prior to preliminary practical examination in Physiology. Collected data was analysed using MW test and paired ‘t’test. Result: It was observed that students were having high level of anxiety even before one month of examination. Approximately 64 % of males and 53% of females were having high anxiety one month before examination. However, only 54% males and 53% females were having high anxiety one hour prior to examination. Another finding was increase in systolic and diastolic BP one hour before to examination compared to one month before examination, though the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: It is evident from the study that thought the results are not statistically significant basal increase in anxiety score indicates that medical students exhibit higher anxiety levels even in the absence of examination.