ANXIETY IN MEDICAL EDUCATION: A GLOBAL REVIEW OF PREVALENCE AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Аннотация

Anxiety is a prevalent concern among medical students, driven by academic pressure and emotional stress. This review examined nine international studies encompassing 4,508 students, revealing anxiety prevalence rates ranging from 28.48% to 81.63%. Variability was attributed to institutional, cultural, and methodological factors. Higher rates were observed in female students and those in preclinical years. Most studies emphasized the lack of psychological support systems. These findings highlight the urgent need for institutional interventions and standardized mental health assessments to support futurehealthcare professionals. Keywords: anxiety, medical students, mental health, prevalence, academic stress, psychological support, cross-cultural study. Introduction:-Anxiety is a prevalent mental health concern among medical students worldwide, often stemming from intense academic demands, long study hours, and emotional stress inherent in medical training. As these students are future healthcare providers, understanding and addressing their mental well-being is crucial for both academic success and long-term professional competency. Numerous studies have been conducted across different countries to assess the extent of anxiety among this population, revealing varying prevalence rates that reflect both cultural and institutional differences. Ahmed et al. (2009) conducted one of the earlier studies exploring anxiety among medical students and reported a relatively moderate prevalence. In contrast, a more recent and comprehensive investigation by Mayer et al. (2016) found a strikingly high rate of anxiety in their sample, suggesting a possible escalation of the issue over time or differences in the study population ormethods used. Similarly, Latas et al. (2010) explored anxiety symptoms in students across different years of medical education and highlighted how academic progression might correlate with increased anxiety levels. A study conducted in Brazil (Prevalência study) showed that even in smaller cohorts, anxiety remains a significant concern, affecting a majorityof students. These findings underscore the need for cross-cultural comparisons and a more systematic approach to identifying the underlying causes of anxiety among medical students. The current review aims to consolidate data from multiple studies to better understand the scope of this issue, highlight potential risk factors, and encourage the implementation of institutionalstrategies to support studentmental health. 98,7:ROTCAFTCAPMI .SECNEICSLACIDEM,5202,yaM,5emuloV gro.srehsilbupcimedaca.www By examining these studies side by side, this review contributes to the growing body of literature that calls for institutional and policy-level interventions to address anxiety and fosterresilience in medical students. Methodology:- This review utilized a structured approach guided by the PICO framework to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety among medical students. The population (P) included undergraduate medical students from various countries, such as Brazil, Serbia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Uzbekistan, with study sample sizes ranging from 50 to 1,350. Although no direct intervention (I) was implemented, the academic and institutional environments in which students were situated were considered natural contextual influences—factors such as curriculum pressure, exam schedules, and institutional support systems were treated as exposure conditions. No formal control groups were used; however, indirect comparisons (C) were made across studies to evaluate how anxiety levels differed between institutions and regions, offering insight into systemic academic and cultural variations. The primary outcome (O) measured was the prevalence of anxiety, typically assessed using validated instruments such as the DASS-21, GAD-7, or BAI. Anxiety rates were recalculated as percentages for consistency across studies. A total of 15 studies were initially identified, and after screening based on relevance, clarity ofreporting, and data availability, 10studies were included. Inclusion criteria required that studies report on undergraduate medical students, provide quantitative data on anxiety, and use recognized screening tools. Studies were excluded if they included mixed populations, lacked sufficient data, or used unvalidated measures. Data extraction was performed manually from each study, focusing on sample size, number of students with anxiety symptoms, and overall prevalence. This methodology enabled a comparative analysis of anxiety prevalence in diverse medical school settings, forming abasis for understanding global trends in medical student mental health. Results :- Of the fifteen studies initially reviewed, ten met the inclusion criteria. These criteria included a clearly defined methodology, relevance of the sample population to the research question, and the presence of specific, measurable anxiety data. Collectively, these ten studies analyzed anxiety levels among 4,