Abstract
Abstract: Introduction: Although mental health is an essential condition for the human development, the scientific literature shows a high frequency of depression and anxiety in university students, mainly among medical students. To contribute to a better understanding concerning medical students’ mental health, this study had the following objectives: (a) to estimate the prevalence of indicative scores for anxiety, depression, and for simultaneous anxiety and depression, and (b) to analyze factors associated with these conditions in medical students at a federal university in Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including students from a federal medical school in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Participants were enrolled during the first semester of 2015. Mental disorders were assessed with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The magnitude of mental disorders and its associated factors were analyzed calculating prevalence rates and unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: We analyzed 355 students. Anxiety was the most common condition (41.4%), followed by depression (8.2%), and both anxiety and depression simultaneously (7.0%). After adjustment of multivariate models and considering both gender and age as confounding variables, our results showed a differentiated risk pattern in relation to three outcomes analyzed. Anxiety risk increased with ‘feeling alone’ (adjusted PR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.123; 2.259), ‘having a history of psychological and/or psychiatric treatment before entering university’ (adjusted PR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.052; 2.542), and ‘feeling morally harmed at college’ (adjusted PR: 1.66; (95% CI: 1.168; 2.364). Depression risk increased with ‘feeling alone’ (adjusted PR: 6.84; 95% CI: 2.047; 22.894) and ‘having a history of psychological and/or psychiatric treatment before entering university’ (adjusted PR: 4.74; 95% CI: 1.790; 12.579). Simultaneous anxiety and depression were associated with ‘feeling alone’ (adjusted PR: 8.90; 95%CI: 2.075; 38.208) and ‘having a history of psychological and/or psychiatric treatment during the medical course (adjusted PR: 3.16; 95% CI: 1.061; 9.439) and before (adjusted PR: 6.01; 95% CI: 2.000; 18.098) entering university’. Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are common conditions in medical students. The main associated factors were therapies for mental health before entering in university, loneliness and lack of respect in interpersonal relationships during the medical course. Therefore, initiatives aiming at better welcoming students and reducing conflicting situations can help minimizing these mental problems during university career, once they have a large impact not only in their quality of life, but also in the way they will deal with their patients in the future.
Highlights
Mental health is an essential condition for the human development, the scientific literature shows a high frequency of depression and anxiety in university students, mainly among medical students
Utilizing an instrument (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - HADS) with a good performance history when used in the general population[9], the present study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of medical students’ mental health, broadening the analysis to the predisposing factors
The use of HADS showed students had anxiety (41.4%; 95% confidence interval (95% confidence intervals (CI)): 36.3%; 46.6%), depression (8.2%; 95% CI: 5.3%; 11.0%) and both depression and anxiety (7.0%; 95% CI: 4.4%; 9.7%)
Summary
Mental health preservation is an essential condition for university students, independently of their chosen career[1]. The topic of mental health among medical students has been covered by important publications in the literature, both national[6] and international[7,8], most of these publications focus on prevalence estimates. Utilizing an instrument (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - HADS) with a good performance history when used in the general population[9], the present study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of medical students’ mental health, broadening the analysis to the predisposing factors. The objectives were (a) to estimate the prevalence of indicative scores for anxiety, depression, and for simultaneous anxiety and depression, and (b) to analyze factors associated with these conditions in medical students at a federal university in Brazil
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
