Abstract
Objective:to identify the intensity of depressive symptoms and their associated factors in healthcare undergraduate students.Method: cross-sectional study developed with undergraduate health students from a public higher education institution using the Beck Depression Inventory-version II and a student characterization questionnaire. The study involved 792 participants. For data analysis, we used descriptive statistics, chi-squared test and Poisson regression. Results: the intensity of depressive symptoms was moderate to severe in 23.6% of the students, associated with the non-performance of physical and leisure activities and with speech therapy and nursing courses. Conclusion: several factors may be associated with depression, thus, further investigation into the related factors that cause its emergence in this period of life is necessary, as well as raising institutional awareness and developing strategies at the personal and group level to promote well-being, improve time management and interpersonal relationships, in order to achieve better academic results and personal development.
Highlights
Depression is acknowledged as a public health issue that can compromise an individual’s daily activities, especially regarding social life[1]
After a second adjusted analysis, grouping variables of the three dimensions – sociodemographic, academic and health habits, we found that students that did not perform physical activities did not have time for leisure, and that those who attended speech therapy and nursing showed a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms
A systematic review of the national academic production highlighted the prevalence of depression in health workers between 15.4% and 40.5%, with higher scores among professionals working in higher risk areas and/or working in shifts[31]
Summary
Depression is acknowledged as a public health issue that can compromise an individual’s daily activities, especially regarding social life[1]. Depression, as well as other forms of illness, has a high chance of manifesting itself in early adulthood, and sometimes can occur concurrently with undergraduate studies This is due to the fact that young people undergo major changes and losses, expected at this stage of a person’s development, among them the withdrawal from the family and social circle and the adaptation to the new routine, which can trigger a crisis situation[4]. The new situations experienced by students during their academic daily life that require adjustment include the demands of the course itself and/or of the institution due to the high number of subjects to be studied and the competition of the labor market All of these factors, in addition to family demands, add to the fear of professional failure and loss of prestige, which may trigger depressive symptoms[5]
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