The Effect of Academic Anxiety and Stress on The Risk of Functional Dyspepsia Among Pre-Clinical Medical Students: A Literature Review

Authors

  • Meisya Devi Ardhana Universitas Negeri Surabaya
  • Hafshah Yasmina Abidah Universitas Negeri Surabaya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58344/ihj.v5i2.910

Keywords:

functional dyspepsia, anxiety, academic stress, medical students, brain gut axis

Abstract

Functional dyspepsia is a functional gastrointestinal disorder commonly found in the productive-age population, including medical students. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as epigastric pain, postprandial fullness, early satiety, nausea, bloating, and a burning sensation in the upper abdomen (heartburn), without any identifiable organic abnormalities. Various studies have shown that psychological factors, particularly anxiety and academic stress, contribute to the occurrence of functional dyspepsia through the brain–gut axis mechanism. This literature review aimed to analyze the relationship between anxiety and academic stress and the incidence of functional dyspepsia among medical students. The method used was a literature review based on a systematic search of scientific databases, primarily PubMed, as well as relevant international journals. The articles included were published between 2016 and 2026. A total of 11 articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach.

References

Adibi, P., et al. (2016). Functional dyspepsia and psychological factors: Anxiety and distress association. https://doi.org/10.4103/2277-9175.190936

Ahmad, I., Gul, R., & Zeb, M. (2024). A qualitative inquiry of university student’s experiences of exam stress and its effect on their academic performance. Human Arenas, 7(4), 778–788.

Anas, N. W., Ilmawan, M. F., Nawangsasi, P., & Nandaka, I. K. T. (2026). Academic stress as a risk factor for functional dyspepsia in preclinical students. Journal of Holistics and Health Sciences, 8(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.35473/jhhs.v8i1.696

Galih, et al. (2024). Academic stress and functional dyspepsia among medical students: A cross-sectional study. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.18-7-2023.2343402

Gallas, S., Knaz, H., Methnani, J., Maatallah Kanzali, M., Koukane, A., Bedoui, M. H., & Latiri, I. (2022). Prevalence and risk factors of functional gastrointestinal disorders in early period medical students: A pilot study in Tunisia. Libyan Journal of Medicine, 17(1), 2082029.

Hosseini, F. A., Hemati, M., Shaygan, M., Gheysari, S., Jaberi, A., Ghobadi, M., & Rahimi, S. (2025). Exploring the challenges and needs of nursing students in relation to OSCE exam stress: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE, 20(7), e0327898.

Huang, Z., Wang, K., Duan, Y., & Yang, G. (2020). Correlation between lifestyle and social factors in functional dyspepsia among college freshmen. Journal of International Medical Research, 48(8), 0300060520939702.

Lee, H., et al. (2024). Psychological factors in functional dyspepsia: A narrative review. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2024.0079

Lenga, T. L., Koamesah, S. M. J., Wungouw, H. P., & Riwu, M. (2022). The relationship between anxiety level and the incidence of dyspepsia in students of the Faculty of Medicine. Cendana Medical Journal, 10(1), 113–119. https://doi.org/10.35508/cmj.v10i1.6814

Lisnyj, K. T., Pearl, D. L., McWhirter, J. E., & Papadopoulos, A. (2021). Exploration of factors affecting post-secondary students’ stress and academic success: Application of the socio-ecological model for health promotion. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3779.

Pradana, S. V. (2026). Emotional eating and spicy food consumption related to dyspepsia in female adolescents: A literature review. SEHATMAS: Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan Masyarakat, 5(2), 194–204.

Randini, W. L., et al. (2024). Risk factors for functional dyspepsia in students of the Faculty of Medicine, Bosowa University. Bosowa Medical Journal. https://doi.org/10.56326/bmj.v2i2.2461

Ruan, Y., et al. (2024). Psychological distress and functional dyspepsia: Evidence synthesis. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01744-3

Sackbani, J. E., et al. (2019). Anxiety related to OSOCA examination and functional dyspepsia in medical students. ISSN: 2579-4434.

Saeed, F., et al. (2024). Psychological comorbidities in functional dyspepsia patients: A cross-sectional study. https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v5i05.1545

Sani, I., Hamza, Y., Chedid, Y., Amalendran, J., & Hamza, N. (2020). Understanding the consequence of COVID-19 on undergraduate medical education: Medical students’ perspective. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 58, 117–119.

Sarwati, et al. (2025). The relationship between anxiety and dyspepsia syndrome in medical students. https://doi.org/10.38035/rrj.v7i3

Sunday, N. K. A., Gozali, W., & Partiwi, P. H. (2026). Factors influencing functional dyspepsia in college students: Scoping review. Avicenna Journal of Science and Health Research, 5(1), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.69677/avicenna.v5i1.272

Weber, J., Skodda, S., Muth, T., Angerer, P., & Loerbroks, A. (2019). Stressors and resources related to academic studies and improvements suggested by medical students: A qualitative study. BMC Medical Education, 19(1), 312.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30