Embarking upon a health career: Mental stress in health students in France, 2007

Objectives: To measure the prevalence of mental stress in health students and to identify associated risk factors and risk comportments.   Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in health schools (medical, pharmacy, nurses, midwifes, physiotherapy) in University Rouen Health Campus 2007. Anonymous questionnaires collected age, gender, alcohol consumption using CRAFFT questionnaire, tobacco smoking, psychotropic drugs consumption, living together, and assessment of eating disorders risk using the SCOOF questionnaire. The Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen scale) assessed the level of stress, stress score was analysed by quartile (from Q1 to Q4).   Results: A total of 1,370 students were included, with an overall response rate of 68.6%. The sex-ratio M:F=0.43, the mean age was 21.9 years, 38.6% of students cohabited. The mean score of Cohen scale was 14.0, 14.95 in women and 11.75 in men (p<0.001). The mean score was 15.5 in nurse school and 12.3 in medical school (p<0.001). Heavy smoking (>20 cigarettes/day) was significantly associated to stress with a dose-effect relationship: Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=6.3 (95% CI=1.4-29.7) in Q2, AOR=7.33 (1.64-34.1) in Q3 and AOR=8.85 (1.92-41.3) in Q4, (p_trend=0.006). Consumption of psychotic drugs was significantly associated to stress, AOR=1.50 (1.0-2.26) in Q2, AOR=2.09 (1.40-3.13) in Q3 and 4.58 (3.02-6.01) (p_trend<10^-4). Risk of eating disorders was significantly related to stress AOR=0.92 (0.58-1.47) in Q2, AOR=1.85 (1.21-2.83) in Q3 and AOR=3.11-2.05-4.71) (p_trend<10^-4).   Conclusion: The important findings of this study reveal serious stress disorders in a part of health student in our Campus. The higher level of stress morbidity warrants need for interventions like social and psychological support to improve the quality of life for theses health students. Student advisors and counsellors may train students about stress management. A longitudinal study is necessary to explore the association of psychological morbidity with demographic and professional sources of stress and coping strategies.