Association of Socioeconomic Factors with Academic Performance among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Abstract

Background:  Academic performance is commonly acknowledged to be significantly influenced by socioeconomic status (SES). The family income, parental education and home environment are examples of SES characteristics that have a profound impact on how well students learn. The purpose of this study is to investigate the connection between these socioeconomic characteristics and medical students’ academic achievement in Punjab, Pakistan.

Objective: To find out the relationship between socioeconomic status and academic performance among medical students.

Methods:  This cross-sectional study was carried out in Lahore, Pakistan’s public medical institutions, over the course of 6 months. Using the non-probability convenience sampling technique, a total of 272 medical students were chosen. An online survey was used to gather information on family income, parental education, academic achievement, and many aspects of the home environment. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 27.0, which used binary logistic regression, chi-square tests, and descriptive statistics to find significant relationships. A p-value below 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Of the 272 participants, 54.4% demonstrated good academic performance (above 70%), 33.5% had average performance (60-70%), and 12.1% exhibited low performance (below 60%). Family income was significantly associated with academic performance, with students from families earning between 1-5 lac PKR per month more likely to perform well (p = 0.0001).

Parental education, particularly a father’s university-level education, was also strongly linked to higher academic achievement (p = 0.0001). Additionally, students whose mothers were homemakers performed well academically, suggesting that parental involvement positively influences academic outcomes, regardless of occupation.

Conclusion: According to the findings of this cross-sectional study, socioeconomic factors including, parental education and family income, have a significant impact on medical students’ academic achievement. Improved academic results were associated with higher family wealth and more educated parents, particularly fathers. These results demonstrate the necessity of focused interventions and policies to provide fair access to academic success for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Keywords |  Socioeconomic Factors, Academic Achievement, Cross-Sectional Studies, Parental Education, Students, Medical.