Level of stress among postgraduate junior residents during their postgraduation in medical colleges of Coastal Karnataka – A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Stress has been an unavoidable reality of resident's life. Postgraduates face numerous stressors in their medical training. Stress may indirectly lead to medical errors which negatively impact the quality of patient care. However, the severity varies among individuals. Here, we present a study where we looked into the levels of stress among postgraduate junior residents of Coastal Karnataka and its association with various sociodemographic and clinical variables. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted among postgraduate residents of various departments of seven medical colleges of Coastal Karnataka involved 236 participants. Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional ethical committee. The sociodemographic and clinical variables of participants were collected using an online questionnaire. Assessment of stress level was done using Perceived Stress Scale. Results: The study indicated statistically significant increase in stress level among females compared to males (P = 0.009). The year of postgraduation, number of years taken to join postgraduation, and subject of postgraduation did not make any significant difference in the level of stress. However, most of the postgraduates had moderate stress scale scores. Conclusion: Postgraduation is indeed a time of incredible stress to all the residents. Our study was also able to indicate the same. There is a need to provide psychological support during their training.