The relationship between exam anxiety, depression, and back pain in physicians preparing for the specialty exam

Ö. Yükselmiş, S. Dönmezdil

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dağkapi State Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey. ozkanyukselmis@gmail.com

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• Physical Therapy
• Psychology

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at examining the possibility of anxiety and depression in physicians preparing for the specialty exam and the back pain caused by continuous working with these depressive symptoms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research was started by getting approval from the local Ethics Committee of Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital. Socio-demographic data form, EQ-5D general quality of life scale, Oswestry low back pain disability scale, and Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were applied to volunteers.

RESULTS: Among the physicians participating in our study, both anxiety and depression scores from the HADS scale scores applied to the exam preparation group were statistically significantly higher than those of students who did not prepare for the exam.

CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the highness of the scale scores in the exam preparation group was statistically high. It should not be ignored that there may be complaints of anxiety, depression, and low back pain during the preparation period for the specialty examination in physicians. During the exams’ periods, psychosocial support mechanisms should be activated, and active exercise activities should be recommended. For more detailed data, large-scale participatory studies are needed.

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