Magnitude of test anxiety and its determinants among midwifery and nursing students in Eastern Ethiopia, 2023

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Background: Test anxiety is referred to as the set of psychological and behavioral responses that accompany concern about likely negative consequences or failure of an exam or similar evaluation situations. Test anxiety has an effect on academic achievement and success of students. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the magnitude of test anxiety among midwifery and nursing students in Eastern Ethiopia, 2023. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among midwifery and nursing students at Eastern Ethiopia universities. Study subjects were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The data were entered into Epi Data version 4.1, and the data was exported to SPSS version 24 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the association between test anxiety and independent variables. Finally, the AOR, 95% CI, and p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: the overall magnitude of test anxiety among midwifery and nursing students was 53.5% (95% CI=42.49-58.83). Being female [AOR=2.03, 95% CI=1.40-2.94], poor time management [AOR=2.33, 95% CI=1.62-3.36], psychological distress [AOR=1.4, 95% CI=1.03-2.14], and lack of study plan [AOR=1.59, 95% CI=1.09-2.30] were significantly associated with test anxiety. Conclusions: Magnitude of test anxiety among midwifery and nursing students is pressing concern that can adversely affect their academic performance and overall well-being. Data suggests that this anxiety is not only common but also influenced by identifiable factors such as gender, time management, psychological health, and study habits.