The mental health of graduate students at the Federal University of São Paulo: a preliminary report

We present data regarding the care provided to graduate level health professionals at the mental health center of the Federal University of São Paulo. From September 1996 to September 2003, 146 graduate students (99 in the Master's degree program and 47 in the Doctoral program) were attended. This population was predominantly female (68.5 percent), with a mean (± SD) age of 28.6 ± 4.42 years, not married (71.9 percent). Most of the subjects were professionals who had not graduated from the Federal University (78.1 percent). The students who sought help for psychological and/or psychiatric problems were classified into two categories: situational-adaptive crises and psychopathological crises. The main diagnoses were depression and anxiety disorders (44 percent) causing 4.5 percent of the subjects to be temporarily suspended from their graduate studies; 19.2 percent reported that they had used psychotropic drugs within the previous month, and 47.9 percent referred to sleep disturbances. Suicidal tendencies were mentioned by 18 percent of those interviewed. Students with emotional disturbances and academic dysfunctions should be recognized at an early stage, and it is fundamental for them to have access to mental health programs that provide formal, structured and confidential care. Thus, it is important that professors and advisors in graduate programs build a warm and affective learning environment. If we consider the expressive growth in Brazilian scientific production resulting from the implementation of an extensive national system of graduate education, it is important to focus efforts on enhancing and upgrading the mental health care system.

Natureza e magnitude do estresse na residência médica / Stress nature and magnitude during medical residency training

A natureza estressante do treinamento na Residência Médica tem sido amplamente discutida na literatura. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar dados sobre os principais fatores estressantes do treinamento e os efietos desse estresse nos residentes e na qualidade da assistência prestada aos pacientes. A magnitude do estresse, durante o treinamento na Residência Médica, resulta da interaçäo de três tipos de estresse: profissional, situacional e pessoal. Säo descritos os principais distúrbios comportamentais e disfunçöes profissionais que afetam os residentes, salientando-se a importância do conhecimento desses dados para o planejamento, organizaçäo e avaliaçäo de programas de Residência Médica.