Percepción de Estrés en situaciones de la vida diaria en alumnos de segundo año de la carrera de medicina

Abstract

Stress implies a normal situation given by a level of physical-mental activation that can be perceived subjectively, necessary to maintain life (eustress), but which, below or above a certain individual level, constitutes a risk factor for disorders or diseases (distress). In this sense, the situations of daily life, give rise to one or another dimension, being faced in a different way by each subject. The objectives of this study were: a) To investigate the intensities of perceived stress and the dimensions of general distress and coping capacity. b) To identify possible differences in the intensities of stress between the sexes. c) To differentiate between the sexes the dimensions of general distress and coping capacity.

Regarding the material and methods, this was a descriptive study, cross-sectional design, self-administered survey type. Procedure: obtaining the sample: simple random (n=80). Measurement instrument: Spanish version of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale by Cohen S. Variables to be evaluated: perceived stress, general distress and coping ability in everyday situations. Statistical analysis methods included data coding and tabulation: bivariate contingency tables to indicate relative frequencies and percentages. α error at the significance level of p≤0.05. Analysis of differences in percentage distributions: Chi2 test.

Regarding the results obtained, these were: Total sample: range 0-20: 40%, range 21-40: 60%. General distress: range 0-12: 48.75%, range 13-24: 51.25%. Coping ability: range 0-8: 53.75%, range 9-16: 46.25%. By sex: range 0-20: men 82.85% women 15.55%; range 21-40: men 17.15% women 84.45%. General distress: range 0-12: men 85.71% women 17.77%; range 13-24: men 14.29% women 82.22%. Coping ability: range 0-8: men 74.28% women 13.33%; range 9-16: men 25.71% women 86.67%. 

Total scores: women presented a higher intensity of perceived stress (p value = 0.01253; statistically significant differences). By sex: general distress: women presented a higher intensity (p value = 0.01245; statistically significant differences). Coping ability: it was higher in men (p value = 0.02325; statistically significant differences).