Identification of stressors and quantification of stress among veterinary students in India using a cross- sectional questionnaire survey

Abstract Veterinary education, being a rigorous professional training programme, exposes students to significant academic and non-academic pressures. Identifying the stressors and evaluating stress levels among veterinary students can help with the development of coping techniques to protect students' mental health. A 44-item based cross-sectional questionnaire survey was prepared and disseminated among veterinary students in India with the goal of identifying the stressors responsible, measuring the amount of stress, and relating stress to characteristics like as gender and family income. The data from the questionnaire was evaluated using a variety of statistical factors. The survey had a high level of internal consistency. More than 95% of pupils were found to be stressed, with levels ranging from moderate to severe. Academic stressors were the primary cause of increased overall stress. In comparison to male students, female students reported higher levels of overall stress, academic stress, and intrapersonal and interpersonal stress. Students from lower-income families experienced increased overall stress as well as stress connected to family expectations. Gender, family income, academic stressors, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and career-related stressors, and social activities-related stressors all positively predicted overall stress among students. These factors should be given special consideration when developing any stress-reduction or stress-reduction strategies for Indian veterinary students. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in India to identify stressors and quantify stress among veterinary students.