Evaluating Interventions to Mitigate Academic Stress in Medical Students: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Background: Medical training, characterized by high academic and emotional demands, exposes students to significant levels of stress. This stress can compromise their mental health, manifesting in symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and burnout, and negatively impacting their academic performance. In the long term, these consequences can affect the quality of medical care they provide in the future. This review analyzes interventions conducted to mitigate the effects of academic stress in this population over the past 5 years. Methods: A search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Keywords included "medical students," "academic stress," and "interventions." Six studies were selected that reported in-person and virtual interventions in this population and were classified into three categories: mindfulness and meditation, yoga and physical practices, and psychological training and emotional intelligence. Results: Five studies evaluated three main types of interventions: yoga and meditation, nutritional interventions, and stress management programs. All interventions showed significant reductions in stress and improvements in well-being, emotional intelligence, and psychological flexibility. Yoga and meditation improved perceived stress levels and physiological markers of stress. Nutritional interventions with fermented foods, such as Lactobacillus casei, helped reduce stress-related gastrointestinal symptoms. Stress management programs focused on problem-focused coping strategies increased self-efficacy and reduced psychological distress. Conclusions: The findings of this research underscore the critical need for additional studies on effective interventions to mitigate academic stress in medical students along these lines, improving their well-being and ability to provide quality care in the future.
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