GLOBAL DISPARITIES IN MENTAL WELLBEING: COMPARING PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS IN BIRNIN KEBBI, NIGERIA AND DEVELOPED NATIONS.

Abstract

Objective: The study examines the prevalence of psychological distress; the factors associated with stress and adopted coping mechanisms among medical students during their medical training at a Nigerian university. The research questions in this study focus on identifying the factors that contribute to stress among medical students and examining how these factors affect their academic performance while attending a tertiary Federal institution in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

Aims: The aims of the study are to determine the prevalence of stress and to determine the risk factors of stress among Nigeria medical students at college of health sciences, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria. The objectives of the study are composed of three questions: To evaluate the prevalence of stress among medical students. Secondly, to determine factors related to stress among medical students. Finally, to determine if familial factors can affect students’ performance

Method: This study used a face-to-face survey that included a standardized instrument to evaluate psychological distress (Kessler-10) and Likert-based survey items that examined stress levels related to study and examination, family relationships, physical/ psychological problems and finances. Non-parametric descriptive statistics were used to examine the prevalence of psychological distress and sources of stress.

Results: The survey students (100 % response). 33.0 % of the students reported normal levels of psychological distress on the K10 (M=19, SD=2.5), and a subgroup reported high to very high levels of psychological distress. A small proportion of students also reported seeking assistance from a physician when experiencing extreme levels of distress.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that students experience psychological distress arising from multiple stressors, underscoring the need for medical schools to serve as pivotal partners in fostering student well-being through the promotion of self-care, education on burnout prevention, and the implementation of targeted support programs for at-risk students.

Key words: stress, tolerance, medical students