P01-139 - Social Anxiety among Medical Undergraduate Students in Malaysia

Abstract

Objectives: To study the prevalence of social anxiety problem and potential risk factors that may be associated with social anxiety among Malaysian medical undergraduate students. Methods: Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) and a questionnaire assessing gender, religion, number of siblings, type of previous school and partner status were given to 167 final year medical students at University Malaya. Results: There were 101 respondents of which 56% of the medical students scored > 19 in the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) suggesting that they may be having social anxiety. However, none of the variables analysed were significantly associated with social anxiety. Conclusion: More than half of the medical students have significant social anxiety symptoms. Students with social anxiety symptoms may find clinical training difficult and this may lead to additional stress and anxiety. This may further decrease academic performance. There is also evidence to suggest that stress during undergraduate training may result in psychological or emotional impairment during professional life and therefore affect the quality of patient care. Furthermore, untreated social anxiety may lead to other complications such as depression and substance abuse. It may also affect their choice of future specialties and prevent them from pursuing what they really want. It is recommended that medical undergraduates be routinely screened for social anxiety in view of its high prevalence, and interventive measures can then be instituted.

Social Anxiety and Internet Addiction among Primary Health Care Workers at PSMMC, Riyadh

“…These include sleep duration, communication problems with teaching staff, feelings of inferiority, and family problems (Nayak, 2021). In addition, several studies found a statistically significant association between gender and social anxiety, although no such association was reported in the current study [31,33], which may be attributed to the small sample size. A range of factors have been associated with social anxiety in healthcare professionals, including age, history of chronic illness, academic performance satisfaction, language barrier, and increasing academic years of exposure [6,7].…”

“…It was estimated that the prevalence of social anxiety in Saudi Arabia was roughly 51% among medical students, with 8% and 4% reporting severe and very severe social anxiety [30]. Research has consistently shown a high prevalence of social anxiety among medical students, with some studies reporting rates as high as 56% [31,32]. In Czech, a study showed that 85% of Czech medical students showed some symptoms of avoiding behavior, and 56% experienced somatic symptoms of social anxiety.…”

“…A range of factors have been associated with social anxiety in healthcare professionals, including age, history of chronic illness, academic performance satisfaction, language barrier, and increasing academic years of exposure [6,7]. However, some studies have found no significant associations with variables such as gender, religion, number of siblings, type of previous school, and partner status [31,38]. The fear of negative evaluation, fear of physical symptoms, and fear of uncertainty in social situations have been identified as key dimensions of social anxiety [39], similar to what was reported in the current study.…”

Spectrum of Anxiety Disorders Among Medical Students in a Nigerian Medical School: A Cross-Sectional Study With Standardized Screening Tools

“…The prevalence rate of 33.6% for SAD reported in this study is lower than the 56% recorded in Malaysia by Gill & Mohammad (2010). Again, SAD and panic disorder appeared significantly related to the year of study.…”

The Prevalence and Correlates of Suicidal Ideation among University Students: A Survey

“…Based on another study on the prevalence of social anxiety among undergraduate health science students in Gondar, 32.1% of the students experienced social anxiety from mild to severe anxiety (Hakami et al, 2018). A similar study among Malaysian medical undergraduates showed that 56% of the medical student experienced social anxiety symptoms (Gill & Mohammad, 2010). Students with positive social anxiety usually face significant disabilities in conducting or maintaining their work, social life, and mental health.…”