Association between traditional medicine body constitutions and stress among medical students at Vietnam University of Traditional Medicine in 2025
Main Article Content
Abstract
This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to determine the association between traditional medicine body constitutions and stress among medical students at Vietnam University of Traditional Medicine in 2025. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire stress was assessed by the DASS-21 scale and traditional medicine body constitutions was evaluated using the standardized Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) among 1,320 students majoring in General Medicine and Traditional Medicine.The results showed that 44.1% of students had stress; the prevalence of stress was higher among female students and differed by academic year (p < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that the Qi-stagnation constitution had the strongest independent association with stress (aOR = 4.51; KTC 95%: 3.20 - 6.36), followed by Qi-deficiency (aOR = 2.22; KTC 95%: 1.38 - 3.56).
Article Details
Keywords
Stress, medical students, traditional medicine body constitution, DASS-21, CCMQ
References
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22. Wang Q, Zhu YB, Xue HS, Li S. Primary compiling of Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire. Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation. 2006; 10:12-14.
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2. Al-Shahrani MM, Alasmri BS, Al-Shahrani RM, Al-Moalwi NM, Al Qahtani AA, Siddiqui AF. The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Academic Stress among Medical Students of King Khalid University: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2023; 11(14): 2029. doi:10.3390/healthcare11142029.
3. Sayed AI, Mobarki SJ, Oberi IA, et al. Effect of Stress on Sleep Quality among Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. Ann Afr Med. 2024; 23(4): 586-593. doi:10.4103/aam.aam_7_24.
4. Al Ani HM, Al Shawi AF, Lafta RK, Abdulqadir O, Nadhim S, Abdulkarim S. Influence of stress, anxiety, and depression on sleep quality and academic performance of medical students in Fallujah University, Iraq. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2024; 70(4): 772-777. doi:10.1177/00207640241229381.
5. Sun Y, Zhao Y, Xue SA, Chen J. The theory development of traditional Chinese medicine constitution: a review. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences. 2018; 5(1): 16-28. doi:10.1016/j.jtcms.2018.02.007.
6. Wong W, Lam CLK, Wong VT, Yang ZM, Ziea ETC, Kwan AKL. Validation of the constitution in chinese medicine questionnaire: does the traditional chinese medicine concept of body constitution exist? Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013; 2013: 481491. doi:10.1155/2013/481491.
7. Nguyễn Thị Lệ, Đồng Thị Ngọc Mai, Trần Thị Quỳnh Hương. Stress và một số yếu tố liên quan ở sinh viên y khoa Phân hiệu Trường Đại học Y Hà Nội tại tỉnh Thanh Hóa năm 2024. HDUJS. Published online October 31, 2025: 86-94. doi:10.70117/hdujs.80.10.2025.784.
8. Le MTH, Tran TD, Holton S, Nguyen HT, Wolfe R, Fisher J. Reliability, convergent validity and factor structure of the DASS-21 in a sample of Vietnamese adolescents. PLOS ONE. 2017; 12(7): e0180557. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180557.
9. Nguyen DTH, Le TT, Tang HK, Le LB, Lam TC, Le LTH. The Vietnamese version of the constitution in Chinese medicine questionnaire (CCMQ): validity and reliability. MedPharmRes. 2022; 6(2): 18-27. doi:10.32895/UMP.MPR.6.2.3.
10. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thim, Nguyễn Phương Hoa, Lê Ngọc Hà. Thực trạng stress của sinh viên y khoa năm cuối tại Trường Đại học Y dược Hải Phòng và một số yếu tố liên quan. VMJ. 2025; 551(1). doi:10.51298/vmj.v551i1.14546.
11. Lâm Văn Minh, Tạ Thị Thanh Mơ, Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Ngọc, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Phương. Thực trạng stress của sinh viên khoa Y tại Trường Đại học Công nghệ Đồng Nai năm 2023. VMJ. 2023; 527(1B). doi:10.51298/vmj.v527i1B.5746.
12. Infortuna C, Gratteri F, Benotakeia A, et al. Exploring the Gender Difference and Predictors of Perceived Stress among Students Enrolled in Different Medical Programs: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(18). doi:10.3390/ijerph17186647.
13. Girgus JS, Yang K, Ferri CV. The Gender Difference in Depression: Are Elderly Women at Greater Risk for Depression Than Elderly Men? Geriatrics (Basel). 2017; 2(4):35. doi:10.3390/geriatrics2040035.
14. Snodgrass SE. Women’s intuition: The effect of subordinate role on interpersonal sensitivity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1985; 49(1): 146-155. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.49.1.146.
15. Traustadóttir T, Bosch PR, Matt KS. Gender Differences in Cardiovascular and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Responses to Psychological Stress in Healthy Older Adult Men and Women. Stress. 2003; 6(2): 133-140. doi:10.1080/1025389031000111302.
16. Jacob T, Ben-Itzchak E, Raz O. Stress among healthcare students - A cross disciplinary perspective. Physiotherapy theory and practice. 2012; 29. doi:10.3109/09593985.2012.734011.
17. Yusoff MSB, Abdul Rahim AF, Yaacob MJ. Prevalence and Sources of Stress among Universiti Sains Malaysia Medical Students. Malays J Med Sci. 2010; 17(1): 30-37.
18. Carrard V, Berney S, Bourquin C, et al. Mental health and burnout during medical school: Longitudinal evolution and covariates. PLoS One. 2024; 19(4): e0295100. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0295100.
19. Yang JJ, Wang Q, Jiang W. Harmonizing the mind and body: The interrelationship between traditional Chinese medicine body constitution, mental health and sleep quality. World J Psychiatry. 2025; 15(3): 103033. doi:10.5498/wjp.v15.i3.103033.
20. Cao H, Chen X, Song Y, et al. A comprehensive study of psychological well-being and traditional Chinese medicine constitutions among model workers in Beijing. Front Psychiatry. 2024; 15:1425757. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1425757.
21. Li W, Wenwen Z, Yawen G, Ling W. Research progress of depression in TCM. Frontiers in Medical Science Research. 2023; 5(4). doi:10.25236/FMSR.2023.050412.
22. Wang Q, Zhu YB, Xue HS, Li S. Primary compiling of Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire. Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation. 2006; 10:12-14.
23. Yap SY, Ng FL, Subramaniam M, Lim YM, Foo CN. Traditional Chinese Medicine Body Constitutions as Predictors for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Behav Sci (Basel). 2022; 12(11): 423. doi:10.3390/bs12110423.