Investigation of emotional and behavioral changes in undergraduate medical and nursing students

Abstract

Mental health can be defined as a state of general well-being, in which the individual is able to perform his / her abilities, face daily stress, be productive and contribute socially, the disruption of these factors can cause psychological and psychiatric illness. In this sense, the environmental and behavioral variables responsible for the health of health students are highlighted. The present study aimed to investigate the mental health of university students beginning medical and nursing courses at a private university, based on emotional and behavioral aspects. A questionnaire, prepared by the authors, was applied to 136 first-year students, 89 of whom were medical and 47 who were nursing. From the results, it was possible to identify the predominance of females in the sample and among the age group of 17 to 22 years, it was also found that 28 students of the total received some psychological or psychiatric diagnosis during the first year. Regarding the perceived stress, the students presented indices considered as average stress in such perception, which from the health point of view is worrying, since they have an extensive academic trajectory until the conclusion of the course, which may increase such levels. Based on the above, it was concluded that illness among university students is a current reality and brings with it consequences that can be extended. For this, it is clear the importance of further research on this topic, as well as actions by educational institutions, seeking support, especially from a psychological point of view in order to promote a reinforcing environment for the study and preparation for the job market.