Happiness among second year MBBS students and its correlates using Oxford Happiness Questionnaire

Objectives: Inner happiness and the ability to fully receive joy is the utmost necessity to be healthy, to mature in professional life and eventually serving the mankind. Medical students are less ecstatic compared to other students in university because of concrete inculcation and work conditions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate happiness among medical students& its correlates. Materials and methodology: The study was conducted among 115 medical students of MBBS (2nd year) of Subharti Medical College, Meerut. The information was gathered by using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire which was distributed among the MBBS second year students present during the study at Subharti Medical College, Meerut. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used for the analysis. Results: The happiness distribution in regards to baseline characteristic showed that 60.8% of the selected medical students were in happy group. It was found that male students (51.4%) were happier than females (48.6%). It was seen that 85.7% of medical students who were happy, had never consumed drugs and this association was found to be statistically significant. It was observed that comparatively younger siblings were happier. Those who believed in higher power or universal consciousness were found to be more contented and happier. Conclusion: Overall the medical students were found to be happy. To make a conducive environment for internal happiness, a belief in superpower was very helpful. All kind of drugs (alcohol and tobacco) should be discouraged as these may cause a temporary feeling of elation but not internal happiness.