Blood Glucose Levels in Students with Stress

Muhammad Zulfikar Karim Chan

, Isra Thristy

Faculty of Medicine, University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia

Keywords: Stress, Blood glucose

Abstract: Stress can occur at any lecture level, especially at the initial level. This is in line with previous research

which states that, there is increased stress in the first-year students due to changes in learning systems in

previous education. The purpose of this research is to know the blood glucose level on students with

stress. The type of this research is descriptive using cross sectional design, as many as 24 respondents.

Based on levels of glucose to stress levels, the normal group (without stress), whole blood glucose

levels within normal limits (100%) ie 7 of 7 respondents. For the mild stress group, there was a normal

glucose level of 11 people (78.5%) and high glucose level of 3 people (21.4%). In the moderate group, 3

respondents had high blood glucose level (75%) and only 1 respondent had blood glucose level in

normal range (25%). While in the heavy stress group found all respondents with high blood glucose

levels (100%). Conclusion, the highest stress level found was mild stress and the higehest blood glucose

levels were found to be normal glucose levels.

1 INTRODUCTION

Stress is a condition caused by transactions between

individuals and the environment that leads to a

perception of the distance between the demands

derived from the situation with the resources in the

biological, psychological and social systems of a

person. Stress occurs due to unbalanced between the

desired expectations of individuals with events that

occur, both physical and spiritual desires.

(Sukadiyanto, 2010)

The incidence of stress is still

high and varies greatly in various groups in

Indonesia. The results of basic health research

(Riskesdas) in 2007 showed that 11.6% of

Indonesians aged 15 years and over experienced an

emotional mental disorder. At Riskesdas in 2013,

that figure shows a decline to 6%. The results of the

study at the assembly taklim in South Jakarta

showed that the prevalence of stress reached 13.3%.

(Besral, et al, 2015)

Holahan mentioned the type of stress that is

divided into two parts, namely Systemic stress and

Psychological stress. Systemic stress is defined as a

non-specific response of the body to the demands of

the environment. Psychological Stress occurs when

individuals encounter stressful environmental

conditions as a threat that strongly challenges or

exceeds their coping ability. (Noviyan M, 2007)

There are other things that can trigger stress,

such as feelings of anxiety about the outcomes

achieved, unbalanced activity, self-stress, a

condition of uncertainty, anxiety, guilt, an

emotionally thirsty soul, and socioeconomic

conditions. According to Subramanian, in Student

there are many other factors that can also trigger

stress, such as: environment, academic, work

competition, interpersonal relationship, and way of

thinking of student also can make stress to student.

Usually if students experience stress will arise such

as: feeling of solitude, lack of sleep, anxiety, and

high hesitations. And if this stress continues to have

a negative effect on health, personality, social

interaction and academic achievement of students.

(Subramaniam V, 2010, Pathmanathan V, et al, 2013)

Stress can occur at any lecture level, especially at

the initial level. This is in line with previous

research which states that, there is increased stress in

the first-year students due to changes in learning

systems in previous education. (Pathmanathan V, et

al, 2013, Mahfar M, et al, 2007)

Continuous stress can affect stress hormones.

Adrenaline, cortisol which is a stress hormone will

rise in number and will affect the homeostasis

system. The hormone affects the sympathetic

nervous system and raises the heart rate and blood

pressure. This is in accordance with subramaniam

research which states that, there is a stress

relationship on Students with high blood pressure at

the time of the exam. In addition, cortisol has a

metabolic effect that increases blood glucose

Chan, M. and Thristy, I.

Blood Glucose Levels in Students with Stress.

DOI: 10.5220/0008790700530056

In Proceedings of the 2nd Syiah Kuala International Conference on Medicine and Health Sciences (SKIC-MHS 2018), pages 53-56

ISBN: 978-989-758-438-1

concentration by using protein and fat stores. So

there is an increase in stored glucose, amino acids,

and fatty acids available for use when necessary, for

example under stress. (Kadir A, 2010)

Glucose is one of the simplest monosaccharides

that has the C6H12O6 molecular formula. Glucose

serves as the fuel of most living things. The

breakdown of carbohydrates produces

monosaccharides and disaccharides, with the

greatest result being glucose. Through glycolysis

and the citric acid cycle, glucose is oxidized to form

CO2 and water, producing an energy source in the

form of ATP. (Ekawati ER, 2012)

Normal levels of glucose in blood are

<126mmHg at the time of fasting and <200mmHg

add random glucose levels. If there is an increase in

blood sugar levels in the body, it is called

hyperglycemia. If the state of hyperglycemia is very

dangerous for the body. Has symptoms of

polyphagia, polydipsia, weight loss, polyuria and

other symptoms. The state of chronic hyperglycemia

can cause damage to organs, especially the eyes,

kidneys, heart, nerves and blood vessels. (Suci M,

2015)

2 METHOD

The type of this research is analytic descriptive by

using cross sectional design. Cross-sectional

research is an option because the study was

conducted at one time and only one time, no follow-

up. This research was conducted in April 2017 until

December 2017 and the location of the research was

conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, University of

Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara. Population is the

whole of all variables concerning the problem under

study. The population of the research is the medical

faculty students of University of Muhammadiyah

Sumatera Utara in the first semester of academic

year 2017 - 2018 who will take the test. The sample

assessed in this research is the medical faculty

students of University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera

Utara who are included in the inclusion criteria. The

number of samples required in this study was 24

people. The last step of this research is to analyze

data. Data analysis is done gradually and done

through computerization process. This study used

univariate analysis. This analysis is used to provide

an overview of the research data. The data will be

presented in the form of descriptive statistics.

3 RESULT

The gender characteristics of the respondents

consisted of the same two groups between the 12

men (50%) and the 12 women group (50%).

Figure 1. Characteristic of gender

Figure 2. Characteristic of stress level

Characteristic of stress level, it was found that there

were 4 stress level on respondent with the most

group in mild stress group were 11 people (46%),

normal group with 7 people (29%), medium stress

group with 4 people (17%) and smallest group on

the heavy stress of 2 people (8%).

Figure 3. Characteristic of blood glucose

The characteristic of glucose content of the

respondents was found in the group with normal

glucose level as many as 16 respondents (66.67%)

and then group with high glucose level as many as 8

respondents (33.33%).

10"

15"

male" female"

Gender&

gender"

10"

15"

stress&level&

stress"level2"

10"

15"

20"

Normal" high"

Blood"Glucose"

SKIC-MHS 2018 - The 2nd Syiah Kuala International Conference on Medicine and Health Sciences

Table 1. Characteristic of stress levels and blood glucose

Blood

Glucose

Stress Level

Normal

Mild

Medium

Heavy

Total

100

72,7

27,3

100

Normal

High

Total

100

In the normal group all blood glucose levels within

normal limits (100%) ie 7 of 7 respondents. In the

mild stress group, there was a normal glucose level

of 11 people (78.5%) and high glucose level of 3

people (21.4%). In the moderate group, 3

respondents had high blood glucose level (75%) and

only 1 respondent had blood glucose level in normal

range (25%). While in the heavy stress group found

all respondents with high blood glucose levels

(100%).

4 DISCUSSION

Based on the results of research conducted on 24

students semester 1 FK UMSU, it is known that as

many as 17 people (70.8%) who experience stress in

various levels. This is in line with research

conducted by Veyna (2013) shows that almost half

of the number of initial students respondents who

studied in medical school Sam Ratulangi Manado

experiencing stress that is as much as 48.4%.

(Talumewo VR, et al, 2013) Students of Medical

Faculty UMSU first semester experience the most

mild stress, is 11 people (46%), who experienced

moderate stress as many as 4 people (17%) and

heavy stress as much as 2 people (8%). The same

study conducted in Iran on medical faculty students

and the results obtained is 26.22% is mild stress,

20.5% simple stress and 14.75% are high stress.

(Marjani A, et al, 2008) Students who will take the

exam will raising the level of stressornya, especially

academic stressors. This is consistent with Lal's

study that academic pressures such as exams can add

to stressful academic stress.

This is also supported

by research by Virginia (1999) in Farida (2008) that

academic problems are a contributing factor to stress

the largest in medical students. (Farida A, 2008,

Legiran, et al, 2015) In addition, the target

achievement of values and academic achievement

also contributes to the potential causes of stress in

medical students. Research conducted by Yee (2013)

also shows that academic achievement is very

influential on the incidence of stress in medical

students. (Yee L Y, 2013) Although in this study is

not described in detail the causes of stress on

students but stress levels are identified based on

attitudes and emotions samples assessed using a

DASS 24 questionnaire.

Stress not only affects a person's mental but also

affects the metabolic process in a person's body, one

of his blood sugar levels. (Djakani H, et al, 2013) In

this study found that the higher the level of stress a

person, the higher the percentage also increase in

blood glucose levels. This is in line with research

conducted by Pratiwi. Stress can increase blood

glucose content because stress stimulates endocrine

organs to release ephinephrine. (Pratiwi P, et al,

2014, PEI, 2015) Another study was also conducted

on "Correlation of stress levels with elevated blood

sugar levels. This study suggests that there is a

relationship between stress levels and elevated blood

sugar levels. (Juwita, 2008) The results of the study

are consistent with the results of the current study,

which is an overview of elevated blood glucose

levels in stressful situations.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of the research it can be taken

some conclusions as most blood glucose levels in

the samples obtained were normal blood glucose

levels of 17 people. The highest level of stress found

in UMSU Medical Faculty students in the first

semester who will undergo a block exam is a mild

stress level of 11 people. The most common level of

stress is an increase in blood glucose levels is a level

of heavy stress with a percentage of 100% found an

increase in blood glucose from all samples who have

severe stress.

Blood Glucose Levels in Students with Stress

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SKIC-MHS 2018 - The 2nd Syiah Kuala International Conference on Medicine and Health Sciences