PREVALENCE OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND SLEEP DISTURBANCES AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH ACADEMIC STRESS
Keywords:
Academic Stress; Anxiety; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Medical Students; Mental Health; Pakistan; Sleep DisordersAbstract
BACKGROUND: Medical education is globally recognized as a highly demanding and stressful academic pursuit, often resulting in significant psychological distress among students. In Pakistan, the intense academic load, limited support systems, and sociocultural pressures contribute to heightened vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Understanding these interrelated factors is essential to improve student well-being and academic outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances among medical students in Pakistan and assess their association with academic stress.
METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted over eight months (November 2022–June 2023) across five medical colleges in Pakistan. A total of 410 MBBS students were recruited through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using validated tools: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) for academic stress, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) for psychological distress, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality assessment. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26. Pearson’s correlation and multiple linear regression were applied to explore associations between variables (p < 0.05).
RESULTS: High academic stress was reported by 61.2% of participants, while 66.7% exhibited moderate to severe anxiety and 54.3% had depressive symptoms. Poor sleep quality was found in 78.1% of respondents (mean PSQI score: 8.3 ± 3.0). Academic stress showed a strong positive correlation with anxiety (r = 0.61), depression (r = 0.57), and sleep disturbances (r = 0.48). Regression analysis confirmed academic stress as a significant predictor of all three outcomes (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: The study highlights a high prevalence of mental health problems among medical students in Pakistan, primarily driven by academic stress. Institutional efforts toward stress management, counseling services, and academic reforms are imperative to promote healthier learning environments.
KEY TERMS: Academic Stress; Anxiety; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Medical Students; Mental Health; Pakistan; Sleep Disorders
