Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South Africa
Background: Physiotherapy students are highly susceptible to experiencing burnout during training. Prolonged exposure to stressful environments predisposes students to psychological morbidities. Aim: The study assessed the perceived level of stress and stressors among a cohort of final-year physiot...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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AOSIS
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2803 |
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| author | Zander I. Collins Chané Siepker Kelebogile J. Ralehlaka Boitshoko C. Molefe Tiisetso C. Phala Simphiwe A. Vilankulu Makwena M. Sibuyi Thembelihle S. Ntuli |
| author_facet | Zander I. Collins Chané Siepker Kelebogile J. Ralehlaka Boitshoko C. Molefe Tiisetso C. Phala Simphiwe A. Vilankulu Makwena M. Sibuyi Thembelihle S. Ntuli |
| author_sort | Zander I. Collins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Physiotherapy students are highly susceptible to experiencing burnout during training. Prolonged exposure to stressful environments predisposes students to psychological morbidities.
Aim: The study assessed the perceived level of stress and stressors among a cohort of final-year physiotherapy students, registered at a medical university in Gauteng province, South Africa.
Setting: The study was conducted at a single medical university in Gauteng province with registered final-year undergraduate physiotherapy students for the 2024 academic year.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with a total population sample of 42 physiotherapy students. Data were collected through an online anonymised self-administered questionnaire. The Cronbach alpha coefficients for each subscale were 0.99 for physical, 0.72 for interpersonal relationships, 0.85 for academic and 0.81 for environment. Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM Corp’s Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Software version 25.
Results: The median age of participants was 22 years (iqr ± 3.8) with 69.0% of them being females. Perceived stress levels ranged between low (n = 24, 57.14%) to moderate (n = 18, 42.85%) with females being at risk, as measured by the Student Stress Inventory. Academic and environmental factors contributed to perceived moderate to severe stress levels.
Conclusion: The study found the severity of stress levels to be slightly below what has been reported in other studies. However, attention needs to be directed to female students to develop emotional self-efficacy skills. Early identification of psychosomatic disorders could indicate the need for interventions to prevent psychological and physiological morbidities.
Contribution: The study adds to the body of knowledge pertaining to the mental health of students at higher institutions of learning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf7502659efe4b2f816d09d745d3f926 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1025-9848 2071-9736 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-bf7502659efe4b2f816d09d745d3f9262025-02-11T13:23:20ZafrAOSISHealth SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences1025-98482071-97362025-01-01300e1e710.4102/hsag.v30i0.28031217Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South AfricaZander I. Collins0Chané Siepker1Kelebogile J. Ralehlaka2Boitshoko C. Molefe3Tiisetso C. Phala4Simphiwe A. Vilankulu5Makwena M. Sibuyi6Thembelihle S. Ntuli7Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneDepartment of Statistical Science, School of Science and Technology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, TshwaneBackground: Physiotherapy students are highly susceptible to experiencing burnout during training. Prolonged exposure to stressful environments predisposes students to psychological morbidities. Aim: The study assessed the perceived level of stress and stressors among a cohort of final-year physiotherapy students, registered at a medical university in Gauteng province, South Africa. Setting: The study was conducted at a single medical university in Gauteng province with registered final-year undergraduate physiotherapy students for the 2024 academic year. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with a total population sample of 42 physiotherapy students. Data were collected through an online anonymised self-administered questionnaire. The Cronbach alpha coefficients for each subscale were 0.99 for physical, 0.72 for interpersonal relationships, 0.85 for academic and 0.81 for environment. Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM Corp’s Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Software version 25. Results: The median age of participants was 22 years (iqr ± 3.8) with 69.0% of them being females. Perceived stress levels ranged between low (n = 24, 57.14%) to moderate (n = 18, 42.85%) with females being at risk, as measured by the Student Stress Inventory. Academic and environmental factors contributed to perceived moderate to severe stress levels. Conclusion: The study found the severity of stress levels to be slightly below what has been reported in other studies. However, attention needs to be directed to female students to develop emotional self-efficacy skills. Early identification of psychosomatic disorders could indicate the need for interventions to prevent psychological and physiological morbidities. Contribution: The study adds to the body of knowledge pertaining to the mental health of students at higher institutions of learning.https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2803physiotherapy studentsperceived stress levelsstressorspsychological morbiditiesemotional self efficacy |
| spellingShingle | Zander I. Collins Chané Siepker Kelebogile J. Ralehlaka Boitshoko C. Molefe Tiisetso C. Phala Simphiwe A. Vilankulu Makwena M. Sibuyi Thembelihle S. Ntuli Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South Africa Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences physiotherapy students perceived stress levels stressors psychological morbidities emotional self efficacy |
| title | Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South Africa |
| title_full | Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South Africa |
| title_short | Stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in Gauteng, South Africa |
| title_sort | stress factors among physiotherapy students at a university in gauteng south africa |
| topic | physiotherapy students perceived stress levels stressors psychological morbidities emotional self efficacy |
| url | https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2803 |
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