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Israel journal of health policy research
04 19, 2021;10 (1): 13.

Health behaviors of medical students decline towards residency: how could we maintain and enhance these behaviors throughout their training.

Rachel Wilf-Miron, Ilya Kagan, Mor Saban
Author Information
  1. Rachel Wilf-Miron: The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
  2. Ilya Kagan: Nursing Department, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
  3. Mor Saban: The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Ramat-Gan, Israel. morsab1608@gmail.com. ORCID
PMID: 33866965 DOI: 10.1186/s13584-021-00447-z

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We examined health behaviors and perceptions among medical students and compared them with the results of a previous survey among residents and senior physicians.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed among second-year medical students (2015-2018) and among physicians (2015) using an online questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.
RESULTS: Significantly more physicians perceived their health as bad, compared with students. Half of the residents, compared with one-third of senior physicians and one-fifth of students, reported high emotional stress. Residents reported the worst, and students - the best, eating habits. Logistic regression models demonstrated that lower emotional stress, healthy eating habits, adequate sleep, lower body mass index and not having a regular physician, explained good perceived health. Female gender, being a resident, bad perceived health, unhealthy eating habits, less sleep and not having a regular physician, were correlated with high emotional stress.
CONCLUSIONS: The healthy lifestyle of medical students declines towards residency. Given the workload and emotional stress of their chosen profession, it is advised that medical school curriculum provide students with measures to help them to adopt healthier lifestyles, allowing students and physicians to be better role models and the healthcare system to perform better.

Keywords

Emotional stress Health behaviors Medical students Perceived health Physicians

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MeSH Term

Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Health Behavior
Humans
Internship and Residency
Israel
Students, Medical
Journal Article
Article has an altmetric score of 2

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0studentshealthmedicalphysiciansstressbehaviorsamongemotionalcomparedperceivedeatinghabitsresidentsseniorperformedbadreportedhighmodelslowerhealthysleepregularphysiciantowardsbetterHealthBACKGROUND:examinedperceptionsresultsprevioussurveyMETHODS:cross-sectionalstudysecond-year2015-20182015usingonlinequestionnaireUnivariatemultivariateanalysesRESULTS:SignificantlyHalfone-thirdone-fifthResidentsworst-bestLogisticregressiondemonstratedadequatebodymassindexexplainedgoodFemalegenderresidentunhealthylesscorrelatedCONCLUSIONS:lifestyledeclinesresidencyGivenworkloadchosenprofessionadvisedschoolcurriculumprovidemeasureshelpadopthealthierlifestylesallowingrolehealthcaresystemperformdeclineresidency:maintainenhancethroughouttrainingEmotionalMedicalPerceivedPhysicians

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