Evaluation of stress and its clinical correlation among the students of Allied Health Sciences

Background: Stress is a key indicator affecting the psychological and physical health of students throughout the world. The current study was planned to find out depression, stress, and anxiety and their impact on obesity and different clinical markers among the students of Allied Health Sciences. Methods: To assess stress, anxiety, and depression levels; the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was utilized. A total of 1446 individuals participated in the current research project. After assessing the BMI of students, a blood sample of two hundred and two (202) obese students were collected. Spectrophotometry, latex agglutination, and flow cytometry were employed to determine the different clinical markers. Results: Stress was found in 63.10% population, while depression was 59.70% and the prevalence of anxiety was 61.90%. After analysis of the blood samples of students, a significant increase was seen in cholesterol and HDL, while VLDL was moderately decreased. LDL, triglycerides, and CBC showed no significant change. Random blood glucose was normal, and CRP was also found negative in all the participants. There was no significant correlation between serum lipid profile and CBC parameters during stress, anxiety, and depression in students. Conclusion: A significant stress level was found among the students of Allied Health Sciences. It is a dire need of time to be focused on the mental health of students. Psychological counseling should be provided in the institutes for the mental well-being of the students.