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PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG FIRST-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS BASED ON CARDIOPULMONARY EXERCISE TESTING (CPET) AND THE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND STRESS SCALE (DASS-21)
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Abstract
Background: First-year medical students face significant challenges transitioning from undergraduate studies to the medical school environment. Therefore, both mental and physical health are crucial areas of concern. Objectives: To assess the mental and physical health status of first-year medical students and the correlation between these two factors. Materials and methods: A total of 122 first-year medical students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, participated in the study. Physical health was assessed using the Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET), while mental health was evaluated with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaire. Results: The participants had an average age of 19.0 years, with no significant difference in BMI between genders (22.7 ± 3.8 kg/m²). In terms of physical health, there were significant differences in muscle mass, fat-free mass, and VO2peak between male and female students. Male students had a higher VO2peak (mL/min) compared to females, at 2204.8 ± 437.6 vs. 1475.4 ± 239.0 (p < 0.001). Additionally, 29.2% of students showed signs of physical impairment. Regarding mental health, there were no significant differences in depression, anxiety, and stress scores between genders. The average scores were 6.2 ± 4.9 for depression, 7.1 ± 5.1 for anxiety, and 11.3 ± 6.3 for stress. The proportions of students at moderate or higher risk levels were 12% for depression, 23% for anxiety, and 7% for stress. Correlations between VO2peak and mental health scores were weak (correlation coefficients ranging from -0.048 to 0.101), even after adjusting for body weight. Conclusion: Overall, there were no gender differences in mental and physical health, except for muscle mass, fat-free mass, and VO2peak. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to better understand the correlation between physical and mental health among medical students.
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Keywords
physical heatlh, mental health, medical students, CPET, DASS-21
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