Prevalence of Stress Among Anesthesia Students at Al-Qalam University

Introduction: Medical students, especially those in high-stress fields such as anesthesia, are often exposed to significant psychological pressures due to academic workload, clinical responsibilities, and the emotional demands of patient care. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and levels of stress among anesthesia students at the Department of Anesthesia, College of Health and Medical Techniques, Al-Qalam University, Kirkuk, Iraq; identify key stressors; and explore associated demographic factors and coping mechanisms. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 697 students using the Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ-20). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Results: The overall mean stress level was 1.85, indicating moderate stress among anesthesia students; 62.5% experienced moderate stress, 35% high stress, and 2.5% mild stress. Drive and Desire-Related Stressors (DRS) and Group Activities Related Stressors (GARS) were the most significant contributors to stress. Age, sex, and residence had limited statistical significance on stress levels. Comparison with non-anesthesia students showed no significant differences in overall stress scores. Discussion: The overall mean stress score for anesthesia students indicated moderate stress, consistent with findings from other geographic areas. Many factors influence the development of stress among medical students, leading to variability in stress rates across institutions. The stress rate was lower among anesthesia students than among nonanesthesia students across the overall scale and six domains. In addition, significant differences in stress rates were observed between the 2nd- and 3rd-year anesthesia students across most domains, except in the TLRS domain and the overall score. Conclusion: Anesthesia students at Al-Qalam University College experienced moderate stress, with domain-specific stress scores ranging from moderate to high levels, primarily driven by personal pressure, and an overall prevalence of 46.24%. In contrast, nonanesthesia students with moderate stress had domain scores ranging from moderate to high, with a prevalence of 48.14%. Targeted interventions, such as counseling programs and academic support, are recommended to mitigate stress and enhance student well-being.