Prevalence and Risk Factors for Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Medical Students
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- Category: Vol. 84, December 2016
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Prevalence and Risk Factors for Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Medical Students, ABDULLAH A. AWAJI, MARAM A.F. AL-SHAHRANI, HATIM M. ALSHARAFI, SAEED M.S. ALSHAHRANI, FAHAD A.A. ALAYYASH and OSSAMA A. MOSTAFA
Abstract
Aim of Study: To screen for symptoms of negative emo-tional states (i.e., symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress) among Saudi Medical students at King Khalid University (KKU), and to identify any associated risk factors.
Subjects and Methods: A total of 400 medical students (214 males and 186 girls) at KKU College of Medicine were included. Data collection tools comprised the personal char-acteristics and the 42-question depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42).
Results: Prevalence rates for depression, anxiety and stress among medical students at KKU are 39%, 53.5%, and 38.3%, respectively. Significant independent variables asso-ciated with depression among medical students were their gender (p<0.001), smoking status (p<0.001), positive family history of psychiatric disease (p=0.002) and their parents' status with the student (p=0.041). Significant independent variables associated with anxiety among medical students were their gender (p<0.001), smoking status (p<0.001), and their mother's employment (p=0.011). Significant independent variables associated with stress among medical students were their gender (p<0.001), family size (p=0.006), smoking status (p<0.001), and a positive family history of psychiatric disease (p=0.001).
Conclusions: Medical study is stressful, reflected by high prevalence of negative emotional states. Females and smokers are most susceptible to all negative emotional states. Students with positive family history of psychiatric disorders are more susceptible to depression and stress. Students whose parents are divorced or one of them is dead are more susceptible to depression.
Recommendations: Medical students' mental health coun-selling services need to be made available and accessible to minimize the incidence of any negative emotional states.