First- and last-year medical students: is there a difference in the prevalence and intensity of anxiety and depressive symptoms?
Braz. J. Psychiatry (São Paulo, 1999, Impr.)
;
36(3): 233-240, Jul-Sep/2014. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-718446
ABSTRACT
Objective: Medical training is considered a significant stress factor. We sought to assess the prevalence and intensity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in medical students and compare samples of first-year and sixth-year students. Method: This was a cross-sectional study of first- and sixth-year medical students who attended classes regularly. The study instruments were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: A total of 232 students (110 first-year, 122 sixth-year) completed the questionnaires, for a response rate of 67.4%. Overall 50.4% of respondents were male (56.4% of first-year and 45.1% of sixth-year students). Anxiety symptoms were reported by 30.8% of first-year students and 9.4% of sixth-year students (p < 0.001). Female students were more affected by anxiety. There were no significant between-group differences in depressive symptoms. Conclusion: A higher prevalence of anxiety symptoms was found in first-year medical students as compared with sixth-year students. Strategies should be developed to help medical students, particularly female students, manage these symptoms at the beginning of their medical training. .
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Anxiety
/
Students, Medical
/
Depression
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Etiology study
/
Observational study
/
Prevalence study
/
Qualitative research
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. J. Psychiatry (São Paulo, 1999, Impr.)
Journal subject:
Psychiatry
Year:
2014
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)/BR
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