Hematological Responses to Academic Stress: Variations in Complete Blood Count Parameters Among Third-Year BSMLS Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20240769Keywords:
academic stress, complete blood count, hematological response, BSMLS students, DASS-21, psychoneuroimmunologyAbstract
Academic stress affects students psychologically and physiologically, particularly in health-related programs that require intensive academic and laboratory work. This study examined hematological responses to academic stress among third-year Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (BSMLS) students at Lyceum of the Philippines University-St. Cabrini during the second semester of Academic Year 2025-2026. A one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used. Twenty eligible BSMLS students underwent Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) assessment and complete blood count (CBC) testing during low-stress and high-stress academic periods. CBC parameters included hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count, red blood cell indices, total white blood cell count, differential count, and platelet count. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Shapiro-Wilk normality testing, and Pearson correlation. Results showed that students experienced mild stress during both low-stress (M = 18.10, SD = 7.99) and high-stress (M = 17.40, SD = 8.39) periods, with no significant difference in DASS-21 scores. Most CBC values remained within normal clinical ranges; however, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and neutrophils showed statistically significant changes between low- and high-stress periods. No significant correlations were found between DASS-21 scores and CBC parameters during either period. The findings suggest that academic stress among BSMLS students may produce subtle hematological adaptations without overt pathological change. The study supports the relevance of CBC parameters as practical indicators of physiological stress responses and highlights the need for sustained stress management programs in allied health education.
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