Assessment of exam anxiety and associated factors among undergraduate medical students: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Anxiety is a psychological condition in which people experience extreme distress, and it commonly intensifies among students during examinations, impairing academic performance as well as their mental and physical well-being, and ultimately reducing overall quality of life. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of exam anxiety and its determinants among undergraduate medical students.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2026 to April 2026 after the Institutional Ethical Committee approval. The study proforma was distributed to first and second year medical students 10 minutes prior to the start of their university practical examinations. A proforma was created with the
following sections: (a) Participant consent and General Information, (b) Beck's anxiety inventory questionnaire (BAI).
Result: In our study, among medical students the prevalence of anxiety was 21.51%. Anxiety during exams among female students was higher (37.78%) when compared to male students (15.74%). First year medical students had higher level of anxiety during exams (26.89%) than second years (15.19%). Students staying in hostel had more (22%) anxiety. Among the students who engaged in less than 150 minutes of physical exercise, 27.73% had higher levels of anxiety.
Conclusion: Female students and those reporting lower levels of physical activity had a higher prevalence of exam anxiety. Less physical activity and place of residence also showed higher level of anxiety during exam.