Self‐reported depressive symptoms in dental students: Systematic review with meta‐analysis

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to systematically review the literature about the prevalence of self‐reported depressive symptoms in dental students. Methods PUBMED, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases were search up to January 2020 with the following focused questions: “What is the prevalence of self‐reported depression symptom in dental students?” and “Are sex and years of educational training associated with self‐reported depressive symptom in dental students?”. Observational studies that applied a questionnaire assessing depression were eligible. Standard mean differences (SMD) and pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated for the questionnaires’ scores and self‐reported depressive symptom, respectively. Results Fifty‐eight studies were included, and 15 different questionnaires were used. The prevalence of self‐reported depressive symptoms/at least mild depression ranged from 2.75% to 89.84%, and the pooled overall prevalence was 29% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26–34). Meta‐analysis showed significantly lower scores in the questionnaires for self‐reported depressive symptoms of male students (SMD: −0.22; 95% CI: −0.42 – −0.03). Conversely, no significant difference was detected for the OR of self‐reported depressive symptom in the comparison between sex (OR: 1.11 – 95% CI: 0.77–1.62). Similarly, no significant difference was observed for the different school years regardless of the analytical strategy used. Conclusion It was concluded that female dental students presented more self‐reported depressive symptoms, but no difference is demonstrated during the years of dental education.

Mental health in medical, dental and pharmacy students: A cross-sectional study

“…A meta-analysis focusing only on medical students found a prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in 27 % and 11% of the students, respectively ( Rotenstein et al, 2016 ), while another, on residents only, showed a prevalence of depressive symptoms in 29% ( Mata et al, 2015 ). In dental students, depressive symptoms also concerned 29% of the students, according to a recent meta-analysis ( Muniz et al, 2021 ). There are fewer studies on pharmacy students.…”

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among dental students is influenced by sex, academic performance, smoking exposure, and sexual orientation

“…Such concerns expose women to risk factors for developing depression, increasing their vulnerability to the illness 24 . All these factors contribute to the higher occurrence of self-reported depression in women, which has already been demonstrated in the dental literature 21 .…”

“…Due to the characteristics of the program, dental students are constantly exposed to risky or unhealthy environments, serious and complicated pathological processes, and the fear of making mistakes during educational training, all of which can negatively impact a student's physical and psychological health 19 . One systematic review showed an overall prevalence of 29% (95%CI: 26-34) for depression among dental students 21 . Similarly, 37.8% of the dental students included in this study reported at least moderate depression symptoms.…”

Alcohol use among US dental students: Results of a nationwide survey

“…There is also some evidence that female dental students are more likely to self-report depressive symptoms. 34 There are several limitations to this study. First and foremost is the low RR relative to the total US dental student population.…”

“…Perhaps this gender imbalance contributes to a less positive experience in dental school for women, which may affect drinking behavior. There is also some evidence that female dental students are more likely to self‐report depressive symptoms 34 …”