Perceived Stress Scores among Saudi Students Entering Universities: A Prospective Study during the First Year of University Life
| Autor: | Majed S. Alokail, Abdulaziz M. Al-Othman, Abdulmajeed Albanyan, Nasser M. Al-Daghri, George P. Chrousos, Shaun Sabico, Omar S. Al-Attas |
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| Rok vydání: | 2014 |
| Předmět: |
Blood Glucose
Male medicine.medical_specialty Cortisol awakening response Adolescent Hydrocortisone Universities stress college life Saudi students Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Saudi Arabia lcsh:Medicine Poison control Blood Pressure Article Young Adult Surveys and Questionnaires medicine Humans Body Weights and Measures Prospective Studies Young adult Students Prospective cohort study Morning medicine.diagnostic_test business.industry lcsh:R Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Anthropometry Lipids Blood pressure Physical therapy Female Perception business Lipid profile Stress Psychological Demography |
| Zdroj: | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Volume 11; Issue 4; Pages: 3972-3981 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 11, Iss 4, Pp 3972-3981 (2014) |
| ISSN: | 1660-4601 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ijerph110403972 |
| Popis: | In this prospective study we wanted to determine whether perceived stress over time among students in the Preparatory Year of King Saud University (KSU) predisposes them to cardiometabolic abnormalities. A total of 110 apparently healthy Saudi students (35 men and 75 women enrolled during the 2010−2011 academic year) were included. Perceived stress was determined at baseline and 1 year later. Anthropometrics were obtained and morning fasting serum glucose, lipid profile and cortisol were measured at both times. Perceived stress was noted among 48.2% of subjects at baseline and was not significantly different after follow-up, with 45.4% scoring high. In men, the prevalence of perceived stress was 48.6% at baseline (13 out of 35) and 37.1% at follow-up (13 out of 35), while in women it was 48% at baseline and 49.3% at follow-up. Interestingly, significant improvements in the blood pressure and lipid profiles, with the exception of HDL-cholesterol, were observed in both men and women, while fasting glucose also improved in women. Serum cortisol was inversely associated to fasting glucose, and total- and LDL-cholesterol (p-values 0.007, 0.04 and 0.04, respectively). These data are opposite to findings in students entering Western universities, in whom increasing stress and a deteriorating cardiometabolic profile have been repeatedly noted. Perceived stress and morning cortisol levels among students of the Preparatory Year in KSU remained constant for both genders over time, yet an improved cardiometabolic profile was observed, suggesting good adaptation among our pre-college students in their first year of university life. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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