Depression, Occupational Anxiety, and Related Factors in Medical Students
Abstract
Background: Depression occupies an important place in medical students’ psychiatric disorders, with a prevalence of approximately 20-40%. We aim to examine factors that might affect depression in medical students and investigate the relationship between occupational anxiety and depression severity.
Methods: Eighty-eight medical students who were diagnosed with major depressive disorder were included in the study. A Sociodemographic Data Form, the Occupational Anxiety Questionnaire for Medical Students, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used.
Results: A statistically significant relationship was found between academic success, living with family, Occupational Anxiety Questionnaire for Medical Students, and Beck Depression Inventory scores. The mean value of the occupational anxiety of the students was 35.87±9.82. The most anxious options for students in the Occupational Anxiety Questionnaire for Medical Students were the inability to prepare for and pass the Central Medical Specialty Exam.
Conclusions: It is necessary to focus on factors that may affect the severity of depression, which affect both the social and professional lives of medical students who are physician candidates. The issues about occupational anxiety should be considered when planning medical school education and postgraduate working conditions.
Keywords
References
- 1. Çivitçi A. Üniversite öğrencilerinde genel yaşam doyumu ve psikolojik ihtiyaçlar arasındaki ilişkiler. Üniversite öğrencilerinde genel yaşam doyumu ve psikolojik ihtiyaçlar arasındaki ilişkiler, Ç.Ü. Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2012;21(2):321-336
- 2. Puthran R, Zhang MW, Tam WW, Ho RC. Prevalence of depression amongst medical students: a meta-analysis. Med Educ. 2016;50(4):456-68
- 3. World Health Organization. Depression. 2008. Avaliable at: www.who.int/ mental_health/management /depression/definition/en/.Accessed October 23, 2008.
- 4. Deveci SE, Ulutaşdemir N, Açık Y. Bir sağlık yüksekokulu öğrencilerinde depresyon belirtilerinin görülme sıklığı ve etkileyen faktörler. Fırat Tıp Dergisi. 2013; 18(2): 98-102
- 5. Imran N, Tariq KF, Pervez MI, Jawaid M, Haider II. Medical students’ stress, psychological morbidity, and coping strategies: a cross-sectional study from Pakistan. Acad Psychiatry. 2016;40(1):92-6.
- 6. Hofbauer VS, Holzinger A. How to cope with the challenges of medical education? Stress, depression, and coping in undergraduate medical students. Acad Psychiatry. 2020; 44:380–387.
- 7. Dyrbye LN, Thomas MR, Massie FS, Power DV, Eacker A, Harper W, et al. Burnout and suicidal ideation among US medical students. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149 (5):334–41.
- 8. Öncü B, Şahin T, Özdemir S, Şahin C, Çakır K, Öcal E. Tıp fakültesi öğrencilerinde depresyon, anksiyete ve stres düzeyleri ve ilişkili etmenler. Kriz Dergisi. 2013;21 (1):1–10.
- 9. Ergin A, Uzun SU, Topaloğlu S. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi 5. ve 6. Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Sürekli Kaygı ve Mesleki Kaygı Düzeyleri ve Bunları Etkileyen Etkenler. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi. 2016;3(3):16-21.
- 10. Beck AT. An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1961; 4:561-571.