Depressive Symptoms in Medical Students
Author Information
Author(s): Baldassin Sergio, Alves Tânia Correa de Toledo Ferraz, de Andrade Arthur Guerra, Nogueira Martins Luiz Antonio
Primary Institution: ABC Regional Medical School, Santo André, Brazil
Hypothesis
Medical education and training can contribute to the development of depressive symptoms among medical students.
Conclusion
There is a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students, particularly females in the internship level.
Supporting Evidence
- 38.2% of students showed depressive symptoms.
- Internship period had the highest BDI scores compared to basic and intermediate periods.
- Female students were more likely to develop depressive symptoms.
Takeaway
Medical students can feel very sad and stressed, especially when they are in their last years of training, and it's important to check on them to help prevent serious problems.
Methodology
The study used the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and cluster analyses to assess depressive symptoms among medical students.
Potential Biases
Self-reported inventories may introduce bias in symptom reporting.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to determine causal relationships and relies on self-reported data.
Participant Demographics
40.5% male, 90.6% lived with family, 17.1% had at least a two-year gap before medical school, 28.2% had a parent as a physician.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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