scholarly journals A pilot study of a longitudinal mindfulness curriculum in undergraduate medical education

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather MacLean ◽  
Emelie Braschi ◽  
Douglas Archibald ◽  
Millaray Sanchez-Campos ◽  
Danusha Jebanesan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Education ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Home Practice ◽  
Program Evaluations ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Scale Scores

Background: To support student well-being, a mindfulness curriculum in undergraduate medical education was launched at our university in 2014. We describe the program and report 3-year results. Methods: Medical students responded to online questionnaires on mindfulness (Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory), empathy (Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy), resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale) and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and were surveyed for demographics, home practice, and subjective experience at curriculum launch and yearly for 3 years. Results: In respondents, high stress (19.2 (SD=6)) and low resilience (71.2 (SD=12.5)) scores were seen throughout training. Scores for mindfulness correlated positively with those for empathy (r=.217 p<0.01) and resilience (r=.539, p<0.01), and negatively with stress scores (r=-.380, p<0.01). While overall scale scores did not statistically change after curriculum implementation, statistically significant increases were seen in mindfulness (12%, p=0.008), empathy (5%, p=0.045), and resilience scores (12%, p=0.002) with a trend toward lower stress scores (8%, p=0.080) in respondents who felt they applied the curriculum principles. Two hours of reported home practice per week was associated with statistically significant changes (14% increased mindfulness scores p<0.001; 6% increased empathy scores p<0.001, 10% increased resilience scores p=0.003; 11% decreased stress scores p= 0.008). Despite positive program evaluations for both mandatory and elective sessions, student attendance at elective sessions was low. Conclusion: A mindfulness curriculum integrated into formal undergraduate medical education is feasible. Benefits may be confined to those students who apply curriculum principles and practice regularly. Further study is needed.

scholarly journals Prevalence of somatic symptoms amongst undergraduate medical students of Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 5106
Author(s):  
Shaikh Arshiya Kaiser Husain ◽  
Anwaya R. Magare ◽  
Purushottam A. Giri ◽  
Vijaykumar S. Jadhav
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Negative Effect

Background: The aim of medical education is to produce competent, physically and mentally strong health professionals, as they are going to be the pillars of the future health care system. Stress is one of the most common and process-oriented obstacles in medical education. It often exerts a negative effect on the academic performance, physical health, and psychological well-being of the students. Dealing with overloaded medical curriculum, competing with peers, being away from home and meeting high expectations imposed by parents and society to excel is among the common stressful transitions at this stage.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out amongst 352 undergraduate medical students of a private medical college in a rural area of Maharashtra during April to October 2019. The structured questionnaire was used to record the data. Collected data was used to assess the severity of mental health issues among medical students.Results: Majority 194 (55.11%) students were in the age of 18 to 20 years followed by 141 (40.06%) were in 21 to 23 years. There were 196 (55.68%) girl students and 156 (44.32%) boys. According to the various categories, 80 (22.73%) of the students had low stress scores, followed by 76 (21.59%) in minimal. A highly significant difference in stress scores was seen between boys and girls, which was more in boys.Conclusions: Study concluded that undergraduate medical students perceive minimal to very high stress presented as various systems that vary with the year of study and gender wise too. There is a further need to look into the various causes of stress.

scholarly journals Are Canadian medicine librarians directly supporting medical student health and wellness? A nation-wide survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackie Phinney ◽  
Lucy Kiester
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Student ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Education ◽  
Teaching Style ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Student Wellness ◽  
Electronic Survey ◽  
Canadian Health ◽  
Nation Wide Survey

Introduction: Students in Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME/UME) programs face a variety of stressors that can impact well-being. To address this, the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) mandates that medical schools offer support and programming that promotes student well-being. Academic librarians are accustomed to providing outreach that meets their faculties’ needs. Therefore, the goal of this study was to explore if Canadian undergraduate medical education librarians are supporting medical student wellness at their medical schools, and how they are doing so.    Methods: A bilingual, electronic survey containing multiple choice and open-ended questions was distributed across two Canadian health sciences library listservs during the summer of 2020. Librarians supporting UGME/UME programs now or within the last three years were invited to participate.   Results: 22 Responses were received, and 17 complete datasets were included in the final results. The majority of respondents have encountered a medical student in distress (n=10) and have adjusted their teaching style or materials to help reduce stress in medical students (n=9). Other initiatives such as resource purchasing, wellness-themed displays, planning wellness-themed events and spaces, and partnerships on campus in support of medical student wellness were less common.     Discussion: The data in this study provides evidence that Canadian undergraduate medical education librarians are mindful of medical student well-being, and are taking steps to provide relevant support to this learner group. Librarians could adopt similar initiatives at their libraries to show support for learner wellness, and enhance their programs’ accreditation efforts in this area.

scholarly journals Association of Perceived Stress Levels Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic with Bio-Social Parameters and Prakriti Body Types among the adult’s population of Manipur, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-72
Author(s):  
Miranda Yendrembam ◽  
Arundhati Devi Maibam ◽  
Sanjenbam Yaiphaba Meitei ◽  
Henry Konjengbam
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ancient Medicine ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Moderate Stress ◽  
Assessment Questionnaire ◽  
Socio Economic Factors

Background - Perceived stress experiences differ amongst individuals due to psychological, physical and socio-economic factors and with the outbreak of COVID-19, the impact on mental health has been unavoidable. Another dimension of understanding stress is also put forth by Ayurveda, an ancient medicine system of India. Aim – Aims to find the association of bio-social parameters including prakriti body types with perceived stress levels amidst COVID -19 pandemic. Material and Methods – Data were collected from 390 individuals aged ranging from 18 – 45 years through an online survey. Prakriti were determined by prakriti assessment questionnaire. Stress level was assessed by using Perceived Stress Scale (PSS 10) and relevant statistical analysis were carried out. Results - Significant association (p < 0.05) is found in body mass index (BMI), prakriti body types, sex, and effects of COVID–19 on mental and physical well – being with perceived stress levels. Vata prakriti (19.71%), underweight individuals (12.65%), and females (11.44%) are significantly more prone to develop high stress. Salaried individuals are significantly less likely to be affected by moderate stress. VIF is less than 5 and Tolerance is greater than 0.2. And, Nagelkerke value is found to be 29.3%.  Conclusion – The study concludes that there is a significant association of biosocial parameters including prakriti body types with perceived stress levels amidst COVID–19 pandemic. 

Association Between Food Allergy, Psychological Stress, and Allostatic Load

2021 ◽  
pp. 019394592110190
Author(s):  
Anne L. Ersig ◽  
Roger L. Brown ◽  
Kristen Malecki
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Allostatic Load ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chronic Health Conditions ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Chronic Health

Allostatic load (AL), the cumulative biological burden of persistently high stress exposure, influences adult health and well-being across the lifespan, and can be measured with clinical indicators, such as BMI, blood pressure (BP), and waist–hip ratio. Adverse childhood events and other stressors contribute to AL, but stress from other sources, such as previously diagnosed chronic health conditions, has been overlooked. We hypothesized that adults with these conditions would have more stress exposures, higher perceived stress, worse mental health, and higher AL, compared to controls. A secondary analysis of deidentified data from cases with self-reported food allergies and controls found that individuals with chronic health conditions reported more stress exposures, higher levels of perceived stress, and had higher AL, compared to controls. However, other results did not support the study hypotheses. Future studies should examine additional AL measures, such as biomarkers of stress response, in individuals with existing chronic health conditions.

scholarly journals Impact on Mental Well-Being and Resilience of Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions in Different Periods during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak in Taiwan

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1457
Author(s):  
Yu-Yin Kao ◽  
Yi-Chun Chen ◽  
Tsuen-Wei Hsu ◽  
Hua-Rong Zhong ◽  
Ben-Chung Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Mental Well Being

Concerns over the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and control measures have affected the routine outpatient visits of individuals with comorbidities and their mental well-being. From October 2019 to August 2020, this cross-sectional study enrolled 135 patients who sought medical attention at a medical center in Taiwan. This period covered the early (October to December 2019), peak (January to April 2020), and late (May to August 2020) periods of the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan. The demographic data, social support data, activities of daily living (ADL), resilience scale scores, and mental well-being scale scores of the participants were compared. There were no statistically significant differences in the participation rate, demographic data, and social support data between the three periods. The correlation analysis confirmed significant negative relationships between the number of COVID-19 cases and outpatient department visits per month (r = −0.764, p < 0.001), emergency department visits per month (r = −0.023, p < 0.001), ADL (r = −0.257, p = 0.03), resilience scale (r = −0.390, p < 0.001), and mental well-being scale (r = −0.475, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan was associated with declines in the ADL, mental well-being, and resilience of patients who sought medical attention.

scholarly journals The Relationship of Stress and Sleep Quality amongst Cognitive Science Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e1-7
Author(s):  
CAR LYN CHEONG ◽  
KOCK WAH TAN
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Malaysian Students ◽  
The Relationship

Stress is a common problem in modern life. Most Malaysian students suffer from high stress levels and poor sleep quality without realising their harmfulness to health and well-being. The major focus of the paper is to examine the relationship between stress and sleep quality among Cognitive Science undergraduate students. This paper also investigates if demographic attributes (gender differences and year of study) affect stress level and sleep quality. The participants of this study comprised 90 Cognitive Science undergraduate students studying at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.  Data was collected by using the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (Perceived Stress Scale) and Sleep Quality Questionnaire (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). The results of the study showed that there was a weak relationship between stress and sleep quality. Those in the poor sleep category reported higher levels of perceived stress. Moreover, the findings showed that female students had higher stress levels than male students. First year students appeared to experience poorer sleep quality compared to final year students. The study also found no interaction effects between gender and year of study on sleep quality and stress. Further research could be conducted with a bigger population size and in other study programs. Future research could also assess non-demographic factors which might influence stress and sleep quality.

scholarly journals Perceived Stress and Resilience among Nurses Working in a Selected Hospital at Mangalore

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sujatha R. Kannappan ◽  
Jacintha Veigas
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Moderate Level ◽  
P Value ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Night Duty ◽  
Being There ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objective A minimum amount of stress is essential for a successful life. When it goes beyond the limit, it affects overall well-being. There is a need to modify the environment, feelings, and physical factors of an individual to promote resilience. This study aimed to assess and find the relationship between perceived stress and resilience among nurses working in a selected hospital. Materials and Methods The investigators used the descriptive correlation design and, through the nonprobability sampling method, selected 65 nurses. Data was collected using the demographic variables, perceived stress scale, and the Connor–Davidson resilience scale. Results and Discussion The investigators found a moderate level of stress (61.5%) with intermediate resilience (73.8%) among the nurses and noted a weak correlation between perceived stress and resilience (calculated value is 0.226 and the p-value is 0.071). There was an association found between the frequency of night duty, education level, and perceived stress. Conclusion Our study showed that most of the nurses had a moderate level of stress with intermediate resilience. The unmarried nurses were more resilient, with a moderate level of stress than the married.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Stress and Well-being: The Mediating Roles of Students’ Psychological Flexibility and Loneliness During the Coronavirus Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Gracia Hanna Indra ◽  
Annisa Mega Radyani ◽  
Imelda Ika Dian Oriza
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Psychological Flexibility ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Inflexibility ◽  
Serial Mediation ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Difficult Situations

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has greatly impacted people‘s lives, including those of students in higher education, who have experienced drastic changes causing high levels of stress and decreased well-being. The relationship between stress and well-being can be viewed through the lens of psychological flexibility and loneliness. Individuals who experience high stress tend to be psychologically inflexible and have avoidant/maladaptive coping strategies. As a result, they are also vulnerable to loneliness, which ultimately results in decreased in well-being. In this study, of 945 student-participants, 43.28% met the criterion for high loneliness, 21.9% reported high perceived stress, 69.8% reflected high psychological inflexibility, and their mean score for well-being was 54.45. Serial mediation analysis found that psychological flexibility and loneliness partially mediate the relationship between stress and well-being. However, stress can affect well-being directly but also indirectly through psychological inflexibility and loneliness. A high level of stress, with a low level of psychological flexibility, results in a high level of loneliness; hence well-being decreases. Interventions promoting psychological flexibility can help individuals adapt and cope with difficult situations during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Single-centre study surveying neurology trainees’ and faculty’s perceptions of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents’ medical education

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. e000184
Author(s):  
Hisham Alhajala ◽  
Ahmad Riad Ramadan ◽  
Aarushi Suneja ◽  
Lonni Schultz ◽  
Iram F Zaman
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Objective Assessment ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Henry Ford ◽  
Single Centre Study ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveTo assess perceptions of our neurology residents and faculty regarding training experience and medical education during the early COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe distributed two online, voluntary and anonymous surveys to trainees and teaching faculty of our Neurology Department at Henry Ford Hospital. Surveys inquired about trainees’ stress, well-being, clinical experience and satisfaction with medical education and available support resources during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan (mid-March to June 2020).ResultsA total of 17/31 trainees and 25/42 faculty responded to the surveys. Eight (47%) trainees reported high stress levels. Nine (57%) were redeployed to cover COVID-19 units. Compared with non-redeployed trainees, redeployed residents reported augmented medical knowledge (89% vs 38%, p=0.05). There was no difference in the two groups regarding overall satisfaction with residency experience, stress levels and didactics attendance. Twenty-one (84%) faculty felt that the redeployment interfered with trainees education but was appropriate, while 10 (59%) trainees described a positive experience overall. Both trainees and faculty believed the pandemic positively impacted trainees’ experience by increasing maturity level, teamwork, empathy, and medical knowledge, while both agreed that increased stress and anxiety levels were negative outcomes of the pandemic. Twelve (70%) trainees and 13 (52%) faculty were interested in pursuing more virtual didactics in the future.ConclusionOur findings provide an objective assessment of residents' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and can guide teaching programmes in their medical education response in the face of future global crises.

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