Social Network Usage Among Medical Students and Its Relationship with Stress

Authors : Uğur Bilge, Levent Donmez

Pages : 416-425

Doi:10.53394/akd.1310005

View : 68 | Download : 106

Publication Date : 2024-09-19

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objective: The increasing use of social network sites has become a globally widespread phenomenon. It is also known that medical students are being exposed to several stress factors. This study aims to predict the social networking habits and stress levels of medical students, as well as investigating the relationship between social network usage and stress levels, including personal attributes. Methods: A questionnaire, involving the perceived stress scale and other characteristics of the participants, was carried out on 1311 medical students, educated at Xxxxxxx University Medical Faculty during the 2017-2018 academic years. This is a cross-sectional study, and the dataset was analysed by logistic regression. Results: Students who use any one of the three main social network sites (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) were 1203 (91.8%), and there were found to be 108 students who used no social media (8.2%). Of the students, 992 (75.7%) used Facebook, 928 (70.8%) used Instagram and 512 (39.1%) used Twitter. 269 students (20.5%) used Facebook previously and now have stopped using it. A total of 766 (58.4%) students spent more than one hour per day on social media. According to the logistic regression analysis; the academic year of students, gender, unhappiness with being in the medical faculty, feeling lonely, stress coping scores and stable parental relationships were related significantly to stress level. After adjusting other variables, frequent social media users were 1.3 times more stressed than others (OR=1.35; 95% CI=1.05-1.74; p<0.05). Conclusion: The frequency of social media use in medical students is similar to others in the same age group in other countries, and there seems to be a link between social media use and stress. To improve and support medical education, social media use must be added as a factor in addition to other stress factors already known. Frequent social network users’ psychological, behavioural and physical development should be monitored closely to improve the health of this group.
Keywords : Sosyal ağ kullanımı, Stres, Tıp öğrencileri