Study of the impact of whether completing the standardized residency training on the mental health of the residents trainees

Abstract

Objective Comparing the mental health of the residents who are undergoing standardized training and having completed standardized training. Methods An online questionnaire survey research was performed from January to February, 2018. Experimental group (n=78) were the residents who were on the way of residency training in Department of Internal Medicine in Peking University Third Hospital at this time, while control group (n=80) were the residents who had completed the standardized residency training and passed the first-stage examination in the same institute on 2016 and 2017. General health and mental health status were compared between two groups by the online questionnaire survey with three scale tools, General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Results Residents in experimental group had greater GHQ-12 score, SAS standard score and depression severity index than those in control group [1.00(1.00, 3.25) vs 0.00(0.00, 1.75), Z=-4.11, P<0.01; 46.50(42.00, 48.50) vs 42.00(38.00, 47.00), Z=-2.98, P<0.01; 0.56(0.51, 0.61) vs 0.54(0.39, 0.60), Z=-2.42, P=0.02, respectively]. Compared with control, the proportions of GHQ-12 score ≥3 and depression status were higher in experimental group (GHQ-12 ≥3: 37.2% vs 18.8%, χ2=6.68, P=0.01; Depression: 88.5% vs 62.5%, χ2=14.32, P<0.01). Binary Logistic analysis showed that being in residency training was independently and positively associated with GHQ-12 score ≥3 (OR=2.58, P=0.04) and depression status (OR=5.05, P<0.01). Conclusions Residents who are still in residency training are at high risk of depression status. Their mental health will be improved when they complete the standardized training and pass the test. Key words: Resident; Standardized residency training; Depression; Anxiety; Mental health; Research