Health Problems In Medical Students Research Articles

Mood and Sleep Quality in Peruvian Medical Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

IntroductionThe prolongation and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an uncertain and devastating panorama in many populations, and the evidence shows a high prevalence of mental health problems in medical students. The objective was to evaluate the association between mood disorders and sleep quality (SQ) in Peruvian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 310 medical students from a private university in Peru. The SQ was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while mood disorders were evaluated using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). All information was collected by online surveys and then analysed in the R programming language. ResultsThe SQ results measured by PSQI were poor in 83.9% of the medical students. In the Poison regression analysis, the results of the bivariate analysis in men show that all mood disorders found the prevalence of poor SQ. However, in the multivariate analysis only stress (PRa=1.30; 95% CI, 1.08-1.57; P<0.01) and anxiety (PRa=1.34; 95% CI, 1.09-1.56; P <0.01) increased the prevalence of poor SQ. Women had a similar pattern in bivariate analysis, whereas in multivariate analysis, only severe stress (PRa=1.15; 95% CI, 1.01-1.29; P <0.05) increased the prevalence of poor SQ. ConclusionsThis study allows us to observe the consequences that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on medical students in Peru. It also revealed a population group vulnerable to poor quality of sleep and bad mood, which in the future will impact on health. It is suggested to educate medical students about the importance of proper sleep hygiene and the consequences of poor sleep hygiene practices.

Medical students’ mental health state during pandemic COVID-19 in Indonesia

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has not only had an impact on health problems, but also brought many changes in other aspects of human life, including the education sector. Difficulty in adapting with the learning process can affect the mental health, especially medical students who are quite susceptible to depression and anxiety. We aimed to aims to provide an overview of mental health problems in medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The method used was an online cross-sectional survey using student characteristics instruments, the GAD-7 and PHQ-2 questionnaires. Respondents were 7949 medical students from 49 medical faculties in Indonesia from February to May 2021. All data were analyzed by univariate and bivariate statistics to see the relationship between several variables using SPSS version 22.0. Results: The majority of respondents were women (69.4%) with an average age of 20.9±2.1 years and domiciled in Java (63.4%). The survey was joined by students from all years of education and the most followed by students in the second year (20.3%). Based on the GAD-7 questionnaire, 3471 respondents (43.7%) experienced symptoms of anxiety (mild, moderate, severe) and the most experienced mild anxiety (29.8%), while from the PHQ-2 questionnaire it was found that 1332 respondents (16.8%) experienced symptoms of depression. Analysis of the mean GAD-7 and PHQ-2 on several factors (gender, year of education, education phase, and place of domicile showed a significant relationship (p&lt;0.05), except for the PHQ-2 score which was not significant for place of domicile (p=0.06). Conclusion: The results of this survey describe the mental health conditions of medical students in Indonesia during the pandemic. This study emphasizes the importance of early detection, support, and mental health services to improve the ability and resilience of medical students in dealing with various changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professional Quality of Life (QoL) Among Medical Interns in Hospitals Affiliated to Guilan University of Medical Sciences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to depression, stress and mental health problems in medical students working in hospitals. Objective: The present study aims to evaluate the professional quality of life (QoL) of medical interns in Rasht, Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 152 medical interns working in hospitals affiliated to Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2020. The professional QoL was assessed using the professional quality of life scale (ProQOL). Results: The mean scores of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress were 38.4±8.3, 30.9±5.4, and 25.3±7.5, respectively. Compassion satisfaction had a significant relationship with marital status, history of underlying diseases, being resident of the city, and work shift duration. Conclusion: The professional QoL of medical interns in Rasht is low. Considering the differences in the spread of COVID-19 in Iran, it is necessary to conduct more study in other cities and on other medical trainees.

Mood and Sleep Quality in Peruvian Medical Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

IntroductionThe prolongation and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an uncertain and devastating panorama in many populations, and the evidence shows a high prevalence of mental health problems in medical students. The objective was to evaluate the association between mood disorders and sleep quality (SQ) in Peruvian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 310 medical students from a private university in Peru. The SQ was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while mood disorders were evaluated using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). All information was collected by online surveys and then analysed in the R programming language. ResultsThe SQ results measured by PSQI were poor in 83.9% of the medical students. In the Poison regression analysis, the results of the bivariate analysis in men show that all mood disorders found the prevalence of poor SQ. However, in the multivariate analysis only stress (PRa=1.30; 95% CI, 1.08-1.57; P<0.01) and anxiety (PRa=1.34; 95% CI, 1.09-1.56; P <0.01) increased the prevalence of poor SQ. Women had a similar pattern in bivariate analysis, whereas in multivariate analysis, only severe stress (PRa=1.15; 95% CI, 1.01-1.29; P <0.05) increased the prevalence of poor SQ. ConclusionsThis study allows us to observe the consequences that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on medical students in Peru. It also revealed a population group vulnerable to poor quality of sleep and bad mood, which in the future will impact on health. It is suggested to educate medical students about the importance of proper sleep hygiene and the consequences of poor sleep hygiene practices.

The Impact of the SARS-COV-2 Pandemic on the Mental Health and Employment Decisions of Medical Students in North China.

Background: The outbreak of severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) has led to long periods of social isolation for individuals across the world. Although medical students generally have a high prevalence of mental health problems, they have received less attention than other groups concerning the impact of SARS-COV-2. Therefore, the present study investigated the mental health status, risk factors, and protective factors for mental health problems in medical students in North China during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic.Methods: A WeChat-based survey, which included the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 and measures of social demographics, was performed twice. Risk and protective factors were identified by binary logistic regression analysis.Results: A total of 702 effective questionnaires were collected in two separate surveys. In total, 24.55% of medical students were suffering anxiety to different degrees of severity, 13.18% were suffering depression in the first survey, and 3.71% wanted to give up working in primary medical care during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic in the second survey. In contrast, during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, a risk factor for anxiety and depression was gender which is male, while being knowledgeable about the SARS-COV-2 pandemic and having a lower academic burden were both protective factors.Conclusions: Measures are required to prevent increases in mental health problems in medical students. Our findings suggest that increasing knowledge about the SARS-COV-2 pandemic and reducing academic burden in medical students is extremely important during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic.

Help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems in medical students: Studies in Thailand and India

To compare the rate of help-seeking from mental health professionals (MHPs) and other sources of help for mental health problems of medical students in Thailand and India, and explore factors associated with help-seeking from MHPs. Cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in two medical schools in Thailand and India. Students were asked to rate their preferences for each source of help on a Likert-scale basis. Mental health status was measured by the General health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Attitudes and stigma toward mental illness were collected using the Mental illness clinician's attitude scale: medical student version or MICA v2. 593 students participated in the survey. The percentage of students who chose to seek help from any source was lower in Thailand than in India. 81 % of students in India site chose to seek help from MHPs, compared to 66 % in Thailand site. The risk factors for avoiding seeking help from MHPs in Thailand were history of alcohol use (OR = 1.88, p = .014) and total GHQ score (OR = 1.11, p = .006), whereas having GHQ score ≥ 2 was a significant risk factor in India (OR = 2.20, p = .044). Total MICA score, which reflected overall attitude toward mental illness, was not associated with seeking help from MHPs. The rate of help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems and factors associated differed between medical students in Thailand and India. A high GHQ score was a common risk factor of not seeking help from MHPs in both countries.

Healing the healer – A 10-Year journey of supporting a medical student with bipolar disorder

Mental disorders are increasingly becoming a significant issue among medical students, consequent to rapid societal changes and increase in life stress. Yet, help seeking for mental health problems in medical students is universally poor. Attitudinal factors, stigma, and systemic barriers prevent early detection of such problems and often push students to self-harm and suicide. The fear of losing the capacity and license to practice often prevents students to come forward for treatment. Here, we discuss the various issues of a similar case from India and deliberate on the possible solutions to help such students in need.

Effects of a Required Large-Group Mindfulness Meditation Course on First-Year Medical Students' Mental Health and Quality of Life: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Teaching mindfulness techniques has been used in the attempt to prevent mental health problems in medical students. Although it has already shown promising results when offered to volunteers, the use as a required strategy is still controversial. To verify the efficacy of teaching mindfulness techniques to large groups when made part of a required discipline at the beginning of medical training. Randomized controlled trial PARTICIPANTS: First-year medical students at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil METHOD: Students were randomized into two groups: an intervention group (receiving a 6-week mindfulness protocol) and a control group (given a 6-week course containing organizational aspects of the medical school). Intervention and control groups were compared on the levels of quality of life (WHOQOL-Bref), stress, anxiety and depression (DASS 21) and the facets of mindfulness (FFMQ) at baseline and at the end of the intervention. A total of 141 students were included in the study, 70 in the intervention group and 71 in the control group. No significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups in all mental health, quality of life, and FFMQ scores (Cohen's d = 0.01 to 0.14). Likewise, no significant gains in mental health measures, quality of life, and FFMQ were identified in the intervention group when compared with the control group (Cohen's d = 0.02 to 0.33). The incorporation of a required mindfulness course for large groups in the curriculum during the first semester of medical training was not associated with an improvement on medical students' mental health and quality of life. NCT03132597.

Prevalence of mental health problems among medical students in China: A meta-analysis.

Background:The prevalence of mental health problems in medical students has continuously increased and is higher than the prevalence of mental health problems in students with other majors, which could lead to undesirable consequences for the students and their future patients. In China, the current states of medical education and healthcare workplaces differ in certain areas from those in Western or other Asian countries. However, the mental health status of Chinese medical students has not been systematically analyzed.Objectives:The purpose of this meta-analysis was to summarize the prevalence of mental health problems in Chinese medical students.Methods:All cross-sectional studies that investigated the prevalence of any mental health problem among Chinese medical students were retrieved from the following databases: EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, OVID, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We accepted each individual trial's inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants. The National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies was adopted to appraise the methodological quality of each study. RevMan (version 5.3) was used to analyze the data.Results:Ten cross-sectional studies involving a total of 30,817 Chinese medical students were included. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders were 29%, 21%, 11%, and 2%, respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed no significant differences in the prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation between genders and no significant difference in the prevalence of depression between individuals of different ages (20 years and older or younger than 20 years).Conclusions and implications of key findings:Chinese medical students have relatively high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation but a low prevalence of eating disorders. Mental health problems in Chinese medical students should be taken seriously, and timely screening of and proper intervention in these mental health problems are highly recommended.

Evaluation of oral hygiene awareness and practices among medical students

Background: Oral diseases are major public health concern due to high prevalence and its impact on quality of life. Many studies have shown that lack of knowledge among rural people and negligent behavior among urban people are causes of dental diseases. Hence the present study was conducted to evaluate oral hygiene awareness and dental health problems in medical students. Methods: A Cross sectional study was carried out on 1st MBBS students. All the students (83) present on the day of data collection were included in the study. Data was collected by pretested questionnaire and analyzed using percentages. Results: Awareness among students about oral hygiene was good. All students in our study were brushing the teeth at least daily with toothbrush and paste. Only few students (13.2%) were using fluoride toothpaste and 67.4% were unaware of fluoride content. Nearly all students restrained from Alcohol Consumption and Tobacco Use. About 27.7% students had Pain /Discomfort in Past 12 Months and 18.1% consulted dentist. About 55% students visited dentist in last 5 years and most common reason was toothache. Conclusions: The better result among medical students could be due to their better knowledge and socioeconomic conditions. Developing countries show lack of awareness and poor oral hygiene habits among large sections of the population, increasing the risk of oral health problems. More awareness should be created among general population to improve the oral health.

Gambaran Distress pada Mahasiswa Preklinik Tahun Ketiga Fakultas Kedokteran

Background: Learning process in medical school is a big stressor for the students. Many researchers have reported higher distress and related psychological health problems in medical students than in general population and non-medical students. This study explored how distress affects Indonesian medical students in FMAU, and its association with academic performance and demographic factors.Method: Cross sectional study was conducted on 185 subjects in the third year medical student of FMAU between April-May 2013. Level of stress was measured using Indonesian version of General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), with Liker scale indicator (distress is when the score is &gt;15). Demographic variables such as gender, source of finance, and economic status were assessed in the study. Academic performance was measured by cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) and last semester GPA. Analyses were done using SPSS.Results: This study identified 35.7% of students were in distress, with average GHQ-12 score 13.42+SD4.97. No association was found between admission pathway, academic performance and distress. However, the study revealed that female students had higher risk of distress (p&lt;0.05).Conclusion: Risk of distress is relatively high in medical students. However, there is no association between demographic factors, academic performance and distress. Further research needs to be conducted to explore risk factors that cause distress of medical students in Indonesian context.

Workload and Health Problems in Medical Students

The inability to cope successfully with the enormous stress of medical education may lead to a cascade of consequences at both a personal and professional level. Although common, depression associates with a high degree of disability and chronicity, with symptoms such as low mood, lack of energy, poor concentration, low self-esteem, and a lack of interest in the environment however stress has been shown to have deleterious effects on one‘s physical and mental well-being .The extreme stress levels inherent in the medical profession, put premedical and medical students at risk for both physical and psychological problems. The aim of this study is to determine the workload stress which leads to different health problems in medical and dental students during their undergraduate training. It was a self-administered questionnaire based survey conducted on 114 medical and dental students (32 males and 118 females) who were randomly selected in Fatima Jinnah Dental College and Dow University of Health Sciences. The result of this study shows that undergraduate medical students are suffering with stress and anxiety due to their hectic schedule and vast syllabus. From this study we can evaluate that health problems such as muscular aches and pains especially in neck, head, lower back and shoulders have increased which leads to sleep disorders. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0.This study suggests that a small percentage of medical students experience physical and mental distress throughout their medical undergraduate training.

Pre-existing mental health problems in medical students: a retrospective survey

Background: The undergraduate medical course is demanding. Each year, a small number of students ‘struggle’, for academic or other reasons. Recent studies at Nottingham reported anecdotal evidence that those who struggle disclose a much higher incidence of psychological distress than those who do not struggle.Aims: The study aimed to assess whether a group of students with mental health problems were more likely to have a pre-admission history of similar problems.Methods: Three year-cohorts of medical students were classified as struggling or not on the course, and whether they disclosed mental health problems during their course. The Nottingham Occupational Health Service carried out a confidential review of pre-admission health questionnaires.Results: Students who struggled on the course and disclosed mental health problems were more likely to have a relevant pre-admission history. One third of those with a positive history disclosed a further significant episode.Conclusions: Existing pastoral care mechanisms may need to be enhanced in order to identify and support potentially vulnerable students.