Exploring Health Struggles Among Medical Students Using Cultural Domain Analysis: A Qualitative Study from North India

Abstract

Background: Medical students face multiple health challenges due to the demanding nature of training. While existing research largely emphasizes mental health, limited evidence explores students’ own perceptions of their health concerns within their context. This study aimed to identify perceived health struggles among medical students using a cultural domain analysis approach.Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted among 30 medical students in a tertiary care institution in North India using purposive sampling. Free listing was used to elicit perceived health issues, and salience scores were calculated using Visual Anthropac software. A scree plot identified the most salient items. Pile sorting was subsequently conducted among a subset of participants (n=7) to categorize issues based on perceived urgency. Verbatim responses were recorded.Results: A total of 46 health-related issues were identified, of which 25 were salient. Improper sanitation, unhealthy food, and animal bite concerns were the most prominent. Although mental health issues were less frequently reported, participants ranked them as critical during pile sorting, along with sleep deprivation and poor diet.Conclusion: There is a divergence between frequently perceived and urgently prioritized health concerns. Addressing both environmental conditions and psychosocial factors is essential to improve medical students’ well-being.