Zahid Mohammad Faizan, Haque Ambreen, Aslam Moaz, Aleem Numra Abdul, Hussain Sheraz, Fahad Hamna, Naqvi Haider Ali, Ghias Kulsoom
a Medical College , Aga Khan University , Karachi , Pakistan.
b Jinnah Sindh Medical University , Karachi , Pakistan.
Teach Learn Med. 2016 Jul-Sep;28(3):252-9. doi: 10.1080/10401334.2016.1155459. Epub 2016 Apr 19.
Phenomenon: Transient health-related anxiety/hypochondriacal concerns in medical students are well documented. The literature suggests that after studying a particular disease, medical students are likely to consider any symptoms earlier regarded as normal to be signs of the disease they are studying. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of these phenomena and their cognitive and distress aspects among medicals students in Karachi, Pakistan.
This was an analytical, cross-sectional study. Self-administered questionnaires comprising demographic details, the Short Health Anxiety Inventory, Medical Students' Disease (MSD) Perception Scale, and MSD Distress Scale were distributed to 1st- through 5th-year medical students.
In total, 513 medical students (66% female) participated. Their mean age was 21 ± 1.6 years. Three hundred seventy-five students (73%) reported having visited a doctor at least once in the past 6 months. Fifty students (9.9%) admitted to having addictions. The overall prevalence of significant hypochondriacal concerns was 11.9% (61 students). The presence of addiction was associated with a greater likelihood of developing significant health-related anxiety (odds ratio = 3.82, p = .003), 95% confidence interval [1.51, 7.11]. Age, gender, medical school, year of medical school, and visits to the doctor in the previous 6 months were not associated with greater likelihood of developing significant health-related anxiety. Second-year medical students experienced a significantly greater degree of worry (MSD-Distress scale) than 5th-year students (M score = 12.6 ± 4.6 vs. 10.7 ± 4.4, p = .04). Insights: The prevalence of substantial hypochondriacal concerns in medical students in Pakistan was low in comparison to similar studies published in literature. Student health physicians should be aware of the true prevalence of hypochondriacal concerns and behavior and not dismiss legitimate complaints. Educational sessions to counteract this phenomenon can be incorporated into the curriculum of undergraduate medicine. By defining heightened awareness of symptoms as a normal process, different coping techniques can be discussed to help medical students reduce their level of stress.
现象：医学生中短暂的与健康相关的焦虑/疑病观念已有充分记录。文献表明，在学习了某一特定疾病后，医学生很可能会将任何先前认为正常的症状视为他们正在学习的疾病的迹象。本研究的目的是调查巴基斯坦卡拉奇医学生中这些现象的患病率及其认知和痛苦方面。
这是一项分析性横断面研究。向一至五年级的医学生发放了包含人口统计学细节、简短健康焦虑量表、医学生疾病（MSD）认知量表和MSD痛苦量表的自填式问卷。
共有513名医学生（66%为女性）参与。他们的平均年龄为21±1.6岁。375名学生（73%）报告在过去6个月中至少看过一次医生。50名学生（9.9%）承认有上瘾行为。严重疑病观念的总体患病率为11.9%（61名学生）。上瘾行为与出现严重的与健康相关焦虑的可能性更大有关（优势比=3.82，p=0.003），95%置信区间[1.51，7.11]。年龄、性别、医学院、医学院年级以及过去6个月内看医生的次数与出现严重的与健康相关焦虑的可能性更大无关。二年级医学生比五年级学生经历了明显更高程度的担忧（MSD痛苦量表）（M得分=12.6±4.6对10.7±4.4，p=0.04）。见解：与文献中发表类似研究相比，巴基斯坦医学生中严重疑病观念的患病率较低。学生健康医生应了解疑病观念和行为的真实患病率，不应忽视合理的抱怨。可将应对这一现象的教育课程纳入本科医学课程。通过将对症状的高度意识定义为一个正常过程，可以讨论不同的应对技巧，以帮助医学生减轻压力水平。
