Abstract
Medical students face a number of different stressors. These stressors manifest in psychological as well as in physical complaints. Using the Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-24) and a specially developed survey, physical complaints were assessed in 293 first- and second-year students (185 women, 108 men). Women consistently report higher scores on all four GBB-24 subscales (exhaustion, gastric complaints, musculoskeletal complaints and cardiovascular complaints). Also compared with the normsample, the students report more physical complaints on all GBB-24 scales. Women report higher investment in preparing for exams, while men dedicate more time to compensatory behaviour and social contacts. During increased strains in preparation for exams students do not report higher substance use, although women report higher use of medications in these time periods.
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