[Factors affecting psychological health and suicidal behavior: based on a survey of 10 340 medical students from three universities].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the factors influencing mental health and suicidal behaviors of medical students and provide a scientific basis for improving their mental health and reducing their suicidal behaviors. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire-based survey among 11 270 medical students in the first and second years at 3 universities in the southern, northern and central regions of a province in China, and 10 340 valid responses were retrieved. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the factors affecting anxiety, depression and suicidal behaviors, particularly the impact of family environment on the mental health status of the medical students. RESULTS: Medical students of the female gender, in their second year in college, with dissatisfaction with their major, coming from poor families, families experiencing domestic violence or dysfunctional family were more likely to develop depression and anxiety; medical students who experienced violence by their parents or guardians and had childhood experience of separation from parents were more likely to develop anxiety (P < 0.05). Female medical students exposure to violence by parents/guardians, anxiety, depression, and family dysfunction were more likely to have suicidal attempts and suicidal ideation; and those who were dissatisfied with their studies, had witnessed violence between parents or had childhood experience separation from parents were also more likely to have suicidal ideation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The mental health and suicidal behavior of medical students are affected by various factors involving family conditions, childhood experience, to which parents and relevant agencies should give due attention.

Sex- and age-specific mild cognitive impairment is associated with low hand grip strength in an older Chinese cohort.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have demonstrated the impact of characteristics like age and sex on the association between hand grip strength (HGS) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine the effects of sex and age on the relationship between HGS and MCI. METHODS: We enrolled older adults age ≥60 years (n = 1009) and measured HGS and MCI in all participants. We analyzed the differences in MCI prevalence among the different variables. The role of sex and age in the association between MCI and HGS was analyzed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Women had significantly higher prevalence of MCI than men, as did the older group (age ≥70 years) compared with the younger group (age 60-70 years). In men, the low and middle HGS tertiles were significantly associated with MCI. In contrast, only the low tertile of HGS was associated with MCI in women. In the older group, the low tertile of HGS was significantly associated with MCI, which was not observed in the younger group. CONCLUSIONS: HGS was associated with MCI in older adults, and this association was stronger in men. HGS may be useful for evaluating MCI in older adults.