The impact of student life stress on health related quality of life among doctor of pharmacy students

College Student Journal, June, 2004 by Gireesh V. Gupchup, Matthew E. Borrego, Niranjan Konduri

Comparison in SLSI, PCS-12 and MCS- 12 scores by gender are presented in Table 2. Females had significantly higher total Student-Life Stress Inventory scores and significantly lower mental component HRQOL (MCS-12) scores than males. The physical component HRQOL (PCS-12) scores for females and males were not significantly different. Mean Student-Life Stress Inventory scores were significantly higher for third year Pharm. D. students than first year Pharm. D. students (Table 3). Also, HRQOL mental component scores (MCS-12) for third year Pharm. D. students were significantly lower than first year Pharm. D. students (Table 3). No significant differences were found for physical component scores (PCS-12) across the three years in the Pharm. D. curriculum.

The correlation coefficient results between the Student-Life Stress Inventory and the physical (PCS-12) and mental (MCS-12) component health related quality of life scores for the study sample are presented in Table 4. For the overall sample, there was a negative and significant (r = -0.58, p<0.004) correlation between the Student-Life Stress Inventory score and the HRQOL mental component score (MCS12). The Student-Life Stress Inventory score was negatively, significantly, and identically correlated to the mental component (MCS- 12) HRQOL scores for both females and males (r = -0.56, p<0.004). The relationship between Student-Life Stress Inventory and mental component (MCS-12) HRQOL score was negative and significant at the p< 0.004 level for students in each of the three respective class years(r = -0.50, r = -0.49, and r = -0.68) of the Pharm.D. curriculum. However, as indicated by the z-test, the magnitude of the correlation coefficients between the SLSI and the MCS-12 did not vary significantly across the three respective class years.

The relationship between Student-Life Stress Inventory and the physical component (PCS-12) HRQOL score was not significant for males, females, or any of the three years in the Pharm. D. curriculum, respectively (Table 4). Additionally, the z-test indicated that the magnitude of the correlation coefficients between the SLSI and the PCS-12 did not vary significantly across genders or the three respective class years.

DISCUSSION

Our results suggest a moderate, negative relationship between perceived student-life stress levels and the mental component of health related quality of life among Pharm.D. students. These results are consistent with those obtained in a study conducted by Damush et al. (1997), in which college students who reported experiencing stressful life events had poorer mental health. Hudd et al. (2000), also showed that higher stress scores among college students were related to lower levels of self-esteem and reduced perceptions of general health.

It is interesting to note that student-life stress levels increased, and mental health component HRQOL scores (MCS-12) decreased, as students were at more advanced stages in the Pharm.D. curriculum. However, magnitude of the relationship (correlation) between student-life stress and the mental component of HRQOL did not vary significantly across the three years in the Pharm. D. curriculum. This indicates that student-life stress is related negatively, and uniformly, related to the mental component of HRQOL across the first three years of the Pharm.D. curriculum.