Depression in medical students

Abstract

Depression is a common medical condition usually associated with functional disability and impaired physical and mental health. It involves affective, cognitive, and neuro-vegetative aspects. It is estimated that 15-25% of college students present a psychiatric disorder during their training, especially depression and anxiety. The prevalence of depressive disorders ranged between 30 and 60% of medical students. The objective was to review the literature on depression in medical students and determine the main causes. We selected 31 articles in Portuguese, English, and Spanish published between 1987 and 2013 in the PubMED and Scielo databases. The prevalence of depression in medical students is higher than that of the general population, being underdiagnosed in 50% of cases and undertreated in most cases. The requirements of medical schools are precipitating factors for the onset of depression, which together with the stigma surrounding the disease complicates treatment. Medical students with better academic performance are at high risk of suicide. Female students in the fifth year and those who have children have a higher degree of depression. Data that depression is related to ethnicity, economic class, and age were not found. Depression in medical students Miguel Angelo Giovanni Noronha Junior1, Yuri Amorim Braga1, Tamyres Goncalves Marques1, Rosane Terra Silva1, Samila Danielle Vieira1, Victoria Alves Ferreira Coelho1, Tomas Antunes Alves Gobira1, Liubiana Arantes de Araujo Regazzoni2 1 Academico(a) do curso de Medicina da Universidade Jose do Rosario Vellano-Unifenas. Belo Horizonte, MG – Brasil. 2 Medica. Doutora em Neuropediatria. Professora adjunta do Departamento de Pediatria da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – UFMG e Professora da Unifenas. Belo Horizonte, MG – Brasil. Depressao em estudantes de medicina DOI: 10.5935/2238-3182.20150123