Strategies to reduce academic stress in health sciences students

Herrera-Plasencia P.M.; Becerra-Atoche E. · Revista Medica Electronica (2025)

Resumen

Introduction: Academic stress is a circumstance experienced by health science students due to the demands inherent to their theoretical and clinical training. Its persistence can negatively impact their physical and emotional well-being. Objective: To identify the most effective strategies for reducing academic stress in health sciences students. Methods: The study design was a documentary review using the PRISMA 2020 systematic bibliographic review. Studies published between 2019 and 2024 selected from the Medline (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases were included Results: Initially, 790 articles were identified, 19 of which met the eligibility criteria. Mindfulness-based strategies emerged as the most consistent, demonstrating significant reductions in perceived stress and sustained effects. Yoga and music therapy also showed relevant benefits, including improvements in emotional regulation and sleep quality. Aromatherapy-based strategies, although promising, had limited results. Structured and, long-term programs were the most effective, while digital strategies offered accessibility but with less sustainable benefits. Conclusions: Strategies for reducing academic stress, such as mindfulness, yoga, and music therapy, have proven to be valuable tools for health science students. To maximize their effectiveness, it is crucial to personalize strategies and combine them with sustainable educational approaches to maximize their long-term impact. © Los artículos de Revista Médica Electrónica de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Matanzas se comparten bajo los términos de la Licencia Creative Commons Atribución– NoComercial 4.0.

Instituciones: Universidad César Vallejo