PREVALENCE OF STRESS AMONG PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective: To assess the prevalence of stress among the undergraduate DPT students of private and public sector universities of Karachi Pakistan.

Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the undergraduate Doctor of Physical Therapy students of public and private sector universities. Random sampling technique was used for enrolment of participants. The data was collected from 318 students to whom questionnaires were distributed and instructions were provided regarding the procedure. The data was entered and analysed by using SPSS version 20.

Result: The prevalence of stress among the participants was 11.5% from Karachi University, 55.0 % from Ziauddin University and 33.3% from JPMC. Total participants included were 261 females and 51 males. Data was analysed on the basis of mild, moderate and severe grades of stress and the result shows that most of the subjects were suffering from moderate stress i.e.53.8 %, 25.8% with mild stress and 20% with severe stress. The results interpreted that there is no remarkable difference in stress level among public and private sector DPT students. Our findings state that both public and private sector stress level lie in moderate category because public sector recorded the mean value of 85.91. On the contrary, private sector shows mean value of 108.54 that distinctly shows that both public and private sectors have moderate stress level among their students.

Conclusion: The study revealed that moderate level of stress was found among the majority of undergraduate DPT students. The stress level in private sector is calculated as 55.0 % where as 44.9% is found in public sector.