Undergraduate Health Science Students Research Articles

The use of clinical practice to facilitate community engagement in the Faculty of Health Science

AimThis article seeks to describe how clinical practice can be used to facilitate community engagement in the Faculty of Health Science. DesignThe study followed a qualitative exploratory, descriptive and contextual design. MethodsThe study was conducted in the Faculty of Health Science at a public university in Namibia, Southern Africa. A total of 19 academic staff were purposively selected to participate in the focus group interviews. Thereafter, Giorgi’s method of phenomenological data analysis was used to analyse data. Lincoln and Guba’s strategies were used to establish trustworthiness. The ethical considerations followed Dhai and McQuoid-Mason’s four principles. ResultsThe three themes that emerged as findings were: facilitation of community engagement through home visits as part of clinical practice; facilitation of community engagement through clinical rural placements; and facilitation of community engagement through interprofessional education and practice. ConclusionsIt is concluded that health science students and academic staff should conduct home visits, students’ placement should also include rural based facilities and allow inter-professional education and practice in clinical practice. However, there remains an overall need to explore for community engagement projects that may be conducted in rural settings. Additionally, a generic service-learning course for all undergraduate health science students may help facilitate community engagement through interprofessional education and practice.

Effectiveness of Educational Programme on Knowledge Regarding Hepatitis-B Prevention Among African Undergraduate Students of Health Sciences

<p>Hepatitis B is an inflammatory disease of the liver which is caused by Hepatitis B Virus. It is a global problem, with 66% of all the population living in areas where there are high levels of infections. Hepatitis B infection may be due to lapses in the sterilization of instruments as well as improper waste management. Knowledge regarding Hepatitis B and safety precautions is needed to minimize the health care setting’s acquired infections among health personnel and students of health Science. The objectives of the study are: (a) To assess the knowledge regarding Hepatitis B prevention among African Students of Health Sciences (b) To evaluate the effectiveness of the structured teaching program regarding knowledge on prevention of hepatitis B among the students. A Quasi-experimental design was adopted and a sample of 50 African students were selected by non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data was collected by administering structured questionnaire before and after the implementation of structured teaching program. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and represented in tables and graphs. In the present study 66% of respondents had inadequate knowledge regarding Hepatitis B prevention before the implementation of structured teaching Program. But after the implementation of structured teaching program, 14% had moderate score and remaining 86% had adequate knowledge. The findings of the study revealed that the mean Post-test knowledge score (26.06) of the students exposed to structured teaching program was higher than the mean Pretest knowledge score (15.74) which was tested to be significant at P- value of 0.001 levels, which indicates the structured teaching program was effective. The overall findings of the study showed that there was a significant improvement in the knowledge scores after the administration of structured teaching program. Hence it can be concluded that structured teaching program was effective in improving the knowledge of African students regarding hepatitis B prevention.</p>

Acceptance of CRISPR-based technologies for clinical application: a Thematic Analysis of Attitudes on Novel Gene Therapies in Undergraduates

ABSTRACT CRISPR technologies are among the most powerful advancements in modern biology because they accurately manipulate the genomes of living cells and have the potential of curing various genetic diseases. This study examined the attitudes of undergraduate health science students towards somatic cell and germline gene editing therapies and whether supportive or critical supplemental literature differently influenced students’ stances. Fifty-two (n = 52) students were given a writing assignment where they were presented with two case scenarios involving their own hypothetical child who had been diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The first scenario presented students with the option for somatic cell therapy, while the second provided a cure using germline therapies. The responses were scored to determine the overall support for CRISPR therapies in these situations. A thematic analysis was conducted to determine what themes affected decision-making, and if supplemental readings affected outcomes. Findings showed that students were especially accepting of somatic cell therapies while half accepted germline therapies. The two most common themes from those accepting of CRISPR use were to ‘remove/prevent/treat human genetic diseases and cancer’, and to ‘improve quality of life’. Different types of supplemental literature did not affect the outcomes of this study.

Satisfaction from Online Education among Undergraduate Students of Health Sciences in Punjab during Covid-19; An Online Survey

Background: The lockdown strategy has been implemented globally to contain the spread of current pandemic of COVID-19. Educational institutes around the globe are facing challenges and online learning is being carried out to avoid face to face contact during lockdown. Students have to adapt entirely new methods of learning through information technology. Objective: To assess the satisfaction level of health science students with online learning and use of internet during Covid-19 lock down in Punjab. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Settings: The data was collected from different institutes of Punjab using an online survey. Duration: Three months from May 2020 to July 2020. Methodology: A convenient sample of sample (N) 357 undergraduate medical students were included based on the response submitted through online questionnaire. Volunteer undergraduate students of MBBS, BDS, DPT, and Pharm D were included. The level of satisfaction was measure using Online Learning/Distance Education Questionnaire. Data was evaluated by SPSS version 22. Frequency tables and percentages was used to measure categorical variables. Results: 41 were males and 316 Females with mean age of 20.5±8.5. 15.6% Most of them had taken more than 03 courses online on computer for educational purpose. More than half students responded that they were motivated to attend online lectures. 23.52 % thought that they can pass any course is on internet-based study. 27.45% considered online and in physical classes as same. The access of internet was not issue for 50.98% students and 37.53% think that course can be completed online. Conclusion: The students were satisfied from online education during this time of transition of conventional classes to online classes. More than half of them felt no issue of internet and 37% think that course can be completed in this mode of education.

Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies Among Undergraduate Health Science Students of Jimma University Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak: Online Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 infection has led countries across the globe to take various measures to contain the outbreak, including the closure of Universities. Forcing University students to stay at home has created enormous stress and uncertainty in their daily life.Objective: This study aimed to assess the perceived stress and coping strategies among undergraduate health science students of Jimma University amid the COVID-19 outbreak.Materials and methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 337 undergraduate health science students from August to September 5, 2020. The perceived stress scale (PSS)-10 and Brief-COPE scale were used to assess the level of stress and coping strategies, respectively. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 22 was employed for data analysis. Logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of high perceived stress.Results: The overall mean [±standard deviation (SD)] age of the participants was 22.88 (±1.78) years. The mean (±SD) PSS score was 22.16 (±1.41), and high perceived stress was reported in 121 (35.9%) participants. The overall mean (±SD) coping score was 72.34 (±12.31), and approach coping was the predominantly used strategy for coping with stress. Personal perception of being stressed by the daily number of COVID-19 cases/deaths in Ethiopia (AOR = 4.61, p < 0.01), rare online talk/chat with friends (AOR = 4.07, p = 0.01), presence of confusion due to the inconsistent strategies developed by the health/government authorities in view of the scientific recommendations (AOR = 2.22, p = 0.01), perception of self/family members being at risk of getting sick (AOR = 0.53, p = 0.03), decreased household income following the COVID-19 pandemic (AOR = 3.92, p = 0.01), practicing denial (AOR = 1.34, p < 0.01), self-blame (AOR = 1.23, p = 0.02), planning (AOR = 1.28, p = 0.01), and religion (AOR = 1.41, p < 0.01) as means of coping with stress were associated with high perceived stress.Conclusion: Over one-third of the participants had a high level of perceived stress, and the majority of them were practicing effective means of coping with stress. The authors recommend that the hosting University in collaboration with the concerned bodies develop innovative strategies to improve the psychological well-being of the students.

Effect of Disability-Specific Education on Student Attitudes Toward People With Disabilities

Attitude is a multidimensional and complex notion that considerably empowers or limits the major life activities of humans. Health professionals' attitudes toward people with disabilities are significant factors in the rehabilitation process. Soon after completing their coursework, the final-year students from health science meet the patients and rehabilitate them. This study accordingly aims to assess the attitude toward disability among final-year health science students before and after administering a disability-specific structured teaching program. A total of 243 final-year undergraduate health science students from medical, dental, physical therapy, pharmacy, laboratory sciences, radiology sciences, and nursing aged between 21 and 27 years participated in this study. This work employed the Scale of Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons (SADP) to measure attitudes among participants. The mean pre- and posttest SADP scores were 83.59 ± 15.45 and 107.83 ± 62, respectively (p < .001). Students from medical, dental, physical therapy, and nursing showed significant positive attitudes toward disability compared with other students, whereas college students in the final year of health science generally had poor attitudes toward disability. The results indicate that the disability-specific structured teaching program is effective in improving the attitude toward disability among final-year health science students. Accordingly, the authors recommend modifying the disability-related content in the health sciences curriculum.

EHealth Literacy of Medical and Health Science Students and Factors Affecting eHealth Literacy in an Ethiopian University: A Cross-Sectional Study.

eHealth literacy is individual's ability to look for, understand, and evaluate health information from electronic sources. Integrating eHealth literacy to the health system could help lower health care costs and ensure health equity. Despite its importance, the eHealth literacy level in Ethiopia has not been studied on medical and health science students, who are important parties in the health system. Understanding their level of eHealth literacy augments practice of health care, efficiency in education, and use of eHealth technologies. This research study aims to determine eHealth literacy level and identify its associated factors among medical and health science students in University of Gondar (UoG). An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2019 among undergraduate medical and health science students in the UoG. Stratified multistage sampling was used. The eHealth literacy scale was used to measure eHealth literacy. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to measure association between eHealth literacy and the independent variables. A total of 801 students participated in this study with a 94.6% of response rate. The majority (60%) were male and previously lived-in urban areas (68%). The mean eHealth literacy score was 28.7 and 60% of the participants possessed high eHealth literacy. Using health-specific Web sites (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.86-4.33), having higher Internet efficacy (AOR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.56-3.26), perceived usefulness of the Internet (AOR = 3.33, 95% CI: 1.95-5.69), medical app use (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.13-2.55), being female (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.08-2.22), and being health informatics student (AOR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.149-3.148) affect a high eHealth literacy level. The level of eHealth literacy in this study was moderate. Using specific reputable health Web sites, using smartphone medical applications, and Internet efficacy determine eHealth literacy significantly.

The effectiveness of cultural competence education in enhancing knowledge acquisition, performance, attitudes, and student satisfaction among undergraduate health science students: a scoping review.

PurposeCultural competence in healthcare assists in the delivery of culturally sensitive and high-quality services. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the available evidence and to examine the effectiveness of classroom-based intervention strategies used to enhance the cultural competence of undergraduate health science students.MethodsA comprehensive and systematic literature search was undertaken in databases, including Cochrane Library, Medline, and Emcare. Articles were eligible if they employed an experimental study design to assess classroom-based cultural competency education for university students across the health science disciplines. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted relevant data pertaining to study and participant characteristics using a charting table. The outcomes included knowledge, attitudes, skills, and perceived benefits.ResultsTen studies were analysed. Diverse approaches to cultural education exist in terms of the mode, frequency, and duration of interventions. For the knowledge outcome, students who experienced cultural education interventions yielded higher post-test scores than their baseline cultural knowledge, but without a significant difference from the scores of students who did not receive interventions. Data relating to the skills domain demonstrated positive effects for students after experiencing interventions. Overall, students were satisfied with their experiences and demonstrated improvements in confidence and attitudes towards culturally competent practice.ConclusionAcross health science disciplines, cultural competency interventions were shown to be effective in enhancing knowledge acquisition, performance of skills, attitudes, and student satisfaction. Future research is necessary to address the significant absence of control arms in the current literature, and to assess long-term effects and patient-related outcomes.

Coping Styles and Sources of Stress of Undergraduate Health Science Students: An Integrative Review

Background and aim: Tertiary education provides many personal and social benefits. However, students, particularly those from professional and health science disciplines are known to face significantly greater stress throughout their undergraduate degrees. In this integrative review sources of stress for students and the strategies they use to cope with the stress are explored. Method: Various databases were searched using common key phrases such as “stressors among undergraduate health science students” and “coping mechanisms utilised by undergraduate health science students”. Thirty-three articles were selected based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The content in the articles were analysed to identify themes. Results: Academic stress was the primary source of stress for health science students. Other sources of stress included interpersonal interactions and clinical training. Students primarily used problem-focused strategies to cope with stress. Other strategies included avoidance and the use of social support networks. Conclusion: Health science students experience stress from academic tasks, interpersonal stress and stresses emanating from clinical training. They utilize problem-focused coping strategies, as well as avoidance and seeking social support when faced with stressful situations. Students would benefit from regular screening for stress-related conditions, and interventions to teach them more adaptive ways to deal with stress.

Severity of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate health science students in Abha, Saudi Arabia

Severity of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate health science students in Abha, Saudi Arabia

Health Science Students' Use of Social Media for Educational Purposes: A Sample from a Medical University in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Background:Using social media (SM) for educational purposes might improve academic performance.Aim:This paper aims to describe health science students’ use of SM for educational purposes and its association with their academic performance.Methods:Two hundred ninety-seven undergraduate health science students completed a self-administered questionnaire comprising 4 sections related to social media.Results:Almost all students (99.7%) reported using SM for learning, most (90.9%) of them daily. The most preferred type of SM learning was Facebook. Most students thought that using SM for learning is convenient and useful. They suggested there should be 1 Facebook account for each subject, that every classmate could access to obtain knowledge from lecturers and to interact between students and lecturers. The logistic regression model showed that the more time students practiced following the advice on posted information, the more likely they were to achieve a GPA at distinction level or above (OR = 4.2; OR = 5.4, and OR = 9.4, respectively with times of practicing). Conversely, the students who used SM for learning less than once a month were less likely to obtain a GPA at distinction level (OR = 0.5).Conclusions:Almost all health science students used SM to support learning and use of SM for learning was associated with higher academic performance.

Twelve tips to make successful medical infographics

In the health sciences, professionals must keep up to date to conduct their evidence-based practise. Hence, there is a growing need to share medical knowledge efficiently among healthcare professionals, patients, and undergraduate health science students. Infographics (text and image) are a hybrid element that serves to represent information in an attractive and meaningful visual format. Actually, with the use of the Internet and social networks, infographics have become a popular format for sharing medical information around the world. On the basis of a published literature review, we provide 12 tips in this article to make a successfully health-related infographic with the aim of assisting clinicians, educators, and researchers in their task of communicating and transforming complex information into a visual, attractive, didactic and shareable format. By following these basic recommendations, it is possible to improve the dissemination of scientific and health-related knowledge to different audiences who can benefit from infographics.

Lack of pocket money impacts Ethiopian undergraduate health science students learning activities.

The cost of university presents various challenges with regards to students' daily learning activities. This is particularly evident in developing countries, where higher education students face acute financial problems that greatly affect their daily educational activities. In Ethiopia, public university students do benefit from governmental cost-sharing programs. Moreover, health sciences students have additional costs during their clinical placements that are above the common expenses for university students. Authors aim to explore the challenges that undergraduate health sciences students in their clinical year face with limited pocket money, as well as how students perceive these limited funds affecting their learning activities and their ability to meet challenges. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted at the Department of Medical Radiologic Technology, College of Health Sciences, at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. Interviews were conducted between January 28, 2019 and February 1, 2019 with twelve students; and only ten participants were included in the study. The semi-structured questions explored participants' experiences and perceptions regarding the challenges of a lack of pocket money and its impacts on their learning activities. Their reaction to financial challenges was assessed. Four themes that are related to the impact of a lack of money on learning activities emerged from our interviews. First, students believed that their difficulty in obtaining pocket money from family or other funding sources contributed to their financial stress, which negatively impacted their learning. Moreover, their difficulty in affording the basic needs for a student greatly affected their learning abilities in the classroom as well as in their clinical placements. The ability to self-manage was also a significant concern for students, with the pressure to use self-control and proper money management adding to their financial stress. Lastly, students observed that the lack of pocket money affected their ability to make social connections at university, which they saw as negatively impacting their learning abilities. Ethiopian undergraduate health sciences students faced many challenges due to the lack of pocket money and these challenges affected student learning both directly or indirectly. Based on our data, we believe that the underlying causes of student financial hardship can be addressed by increasing public awareness of university expenses, clarifying the cost-sharing system to the public, redesigning the cost-sharing policy, and improving university services. Additionally, teaching students self-management skills is also another area that could increase student success.

Is hackathon in oncology a plausible way to foster innovation? An experiential narrative account of conducting Hacking Cancer

BackgroundHackathons are a popular trend in the technology domain and is considered a powerful tool to spur creativity and innovation. In a health hackathon, an interdisciplinary team of health, technology...

Determinants of asthma disease control in Ambo University Referral Hospital: Observational cross-sectional study

Over a decade, different stakeholders have engaged concerted efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality related to asthma. Despite all these efforts, substantial proportions of asthmatic patients do not achieve proper asthma control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of asthma control and to assess the factors that might influence control of the disease. The study was conducted at the Ambo University Referral Hospital which is allied with College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ambo University and serve for a training center for postgraduates and undergraduate medical and health sciences students. The study was conducted from February to March 2019 on a sample of 82 asthmatic patients. The dependent variable was asthma disease control, according to the Global Initiative for Asthma criteria. Accordingly, patients were classified into three classes; controlled, partially controlled and uncontrolled asthma. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with the poor asthma control. The results were represented as percentages in valid results. Continuous variables were represented as a mean and standard deviation (SD). The level of asthma disease control and analysis of factors associated with poor asthma control was the main outcome measure. Results revealed that a total of 82 asthmatic patients with a mean age (standard deviation [SD]) of 44.9 ± 8.9 of years were participating in the study. Only 23.2% of patients were controlled, 2.4% had partial control and 74.4% were poorly controlled. Large proportions of patients (89.02%) recruited were treated with short acting beta agonists (SABA) plus medium/high daily doses of corticosteroids.In multivariate analysis, patients having concomitant allergic rhinitis (Adjusted odds ratio= AOR: 7.87; 95% CI [1.13 - 11.75]) and chronic sinus (AOR: 13.31; 95% CI [1.57-17.40]), not used ICS (AOR: 4.45; 95% CI [1.17-9.94]) and female sex (AOR: 3.26; 95% CI [0.87-6.20]) had increased odds of uncontrolled asthma with p-value of <0.05. Thus, large proportions of patients had poorly controlled asthma. Female sex, unused inhalational corticosteroids, co-morbidities like allergic rhinitis and sinusitis significantly increased the odds of having uncontrolled asthma. Key words: Asthma, level of asthma control, determinants, Ambo University Referral Hospital.

Test Anxiety and Associated Factors Among First-Year Health Science Students of University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundThe experience of extreme worry and self-doubt before taking a test can drastically hinder an individual’s ability to perform well and may lead to miserable. Studies about test anxiety and associated factors among first-year health science students in Ethiopia are limited. Therefore, this study is meant to provide essential data for future interventions.ObjectiveTo assess test anxiety and associated factors among first-year regular undergraduate health science students of the University of Gondar, northwest Ethiopia, 2019.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study with a stratified random sampling technique. Test anxiety was assessed using the Test Anxiety Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant in the multivariate analysis, and the strength of association was measured using adjusted odds ratio at a 95% confidence interval.ResultsIn this study, the prevalence of test anxiety was 54.7% (95% CI=49.40–60.20). The result revealed that fathers’ education of grade 9–12 (AOR=0.31, 95% CI=0.14–0.69), mothers’ education of grade 9–12 (AOR=2.43, 95% CI=1.07–5.47), psychological distress (AOR=8.37, 95% CI=4.29–16.39), the field of studies; midwifery (AOR=3.56, 95% CI=1.07–11.76), and medicine (AOR=6.79, 95% CI=1.64–28.22) were significantly associated with test anxiety at a P-value<0.05.ConclusionThe study found that test anxiety is a major problem of first-year undergraduate health science students. Mothers’ education of grades 9–12, psychological distress, midwifery, and medical field of studies were risk factors of test anxiety, whereas fathers’ education of grade 9–12 was protective for test anxiety. This showed that an increment in the education of father and mother has a controversial effect on test anxiety. It can be reduced by providing suitable trainings for first-year health science students in dealing with factors causing test anxiety.

E-learning: The Scenario During COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: E-learning is essential in health science education, and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated its utility. Objectives: The study aimed to observe the changes in the scenario of e-learning in Indian Medical Education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 905 undergraduate health science students who agreed with an online survey. A questionnaire was prepared, including sociodemographic details, utilization of commercially available e-learning programs before the pandemic, and the scenario of teaching-learning activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was validated and circulated among medical students of various states across India through social media. Qualitative data were presented as numbers and percentages and quantitative data as mean (SD). Results: Of the 905 students surveyed, 69.17% (n = 626) were female students and 30.83% (n = 279) were male students. Besides, 85% (n = 395) of the students found commercial programs useful in clarifying concepts. Institutional e-learning was mandatory for 71.16% (n = 644) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 644 students for whom e-learning was mandatory, 69.10% (n = 445) found tools like videoconferencing, Google classroom, zoom meetings, etc. useful in flexibility and autonomy. However, 50.47% (n = 325) of the students preferred a combined method of classroom teaching and e-learning, whereas only 9.93% (n = 64) of students preferred only e-learning as a method of teaching. They were satisfied with institutional programs for clarifying concepts (n = 386; 60%) and communication skills (n = 320; 50%). Conclusions: The utility of e-learning has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, students preferred e-learning in combination with traditional teaching, especially in health science courses.

What Diversity Means to Undergraduate Health Science Students

The concept of diversity is ever changing regarding how populations perceive the definition. This project assessed how health-science college students perceive the definition and context of diversity in their personal and professional lives. Using qualitative analysis approach with 112 participants we found out that diversity was perceived to be an accumulation of various factors, i.e. education, religion, color though other factors such as age, gender, language, cultures were also considered. Such results highlight that students have varied definitions of diversity and hence formalized training in core courses on diversity in the context of serving in the healthcare field is essential.

Learning Assessment from a Lecture about Fundamentals on Basic Life Support among Undergraduate Students of Health Sciences.

Introduction: Cardiac arrest is one of the leading public health problems worldwide and in Brazil. A victim of cardiorespiratory arrest needs prompt basic life support (BLS) to increase survival. Objective: To evaluate the performance of a synthesis lecture on BLS given to university students in Health Sciences. Methods: A total of 422 undergraduate students in Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine participated in this study. Data were collected by applying a pre-test through a BLS questionnaire based on the American Heart Association guidelines. Results: Students obtained a minimum grade of 40% of the pre-test questions. The score increased to 75% in the post-test; the students with the best performance in the pre-test maintained a higher total number of correct answers in the post-test. There was also better performance in those with previous training in BLS. The students from the first year of medical school were the ones who benefited the most from the lecture. Conclusion: Regardless of the grade course, the Health Science students showed a significant improvement in their level of knowledge after attending the synthesis lecture, indicating its adequacy to promote initial learning about BLS.

Magnitude of Mental Distress and its Determinants Among Medical and Health Science Regular Undergraduate Students at Jimma University: Institutional Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Mental distress is a group of mental problems manifested by symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, irritability, forgetfulness, difficulty in concentrating, and somatic complaints. University students have more severe mental health problems than the general population. Objectives: Therefore, this study attempted to assess the magnitude of mental distress and its determinants among medical and health science regular undergraduate students at Jimma University. Methods: A descriptive institutional-based with cross-sectional study design was conducted at Jimma University from March to April 2017 on regular undergraduate medical and health science students of the Faculty of Health Science. Study participants were selected from each batch using simple random sampling techniques and from the department by lottery method. Mental distress was assessed by using Self-Reporting questionnaire-20. Participants with score of eight and above on the Self-Reporting questionnaire-20 were considered as having mental distress. Chi-square and descriptive statistics were done using SPSS-20. Results: From a total of 369 study participants, about 354 gave the response rate of (95.9%). The magnitude of mental distress among medical and health science students was 35.03 %. Most of the respondents were males by sex and the mean age of the respondents was 23 years with SD ± 6. Age, sex, year of study, the practice of religion, presence of family history of mental illness, department choice, and ever use of substance (chat chewing and alcohol) were predictor variables and significantly associated with mental distress at P &lt; 0.05. Conclusions: The magnitude of mental distress in our study was 35.03% and it needs intervention and addressing the mentioned factors significantly associated with mental distress.