The prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms from an Arabian setting: A wake up call

Abstract

It has been shown that medical students have a higher rate of depressive symptoms than the general population and age- and sex-matched peers. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms among the medical students of a large school following a traditional curriculum and its relation to personal background variables. A descriptive-analytic, cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The medical students of King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were screened for depressive symptoms using the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory. A high prevalence of depressive symptoms (48.2%) was found, it was either mild (21%), moderate (17%), or severe (11%). The presence and severity of depressive symptoms had a statistically significant association with early academic years (p < 0.000) and female gender (p < 0.002). The high prevalence of depressive symptoms is an alarming sign and calls for remedial action, particularly for the junior and female students.

What would happen to education if we take education evidence seriously?

“…We should not be surprised that our learners are so externally motivated or are not engaged in their role as a learner. Teacher-centred programmes are associated with a poorer learning climate and more depressive systems and burnout [37]. The same is true for learners in the workplace [38].…”

Saúde mental em estudantes de medicina

“…Durante o internato, as angústias se intensificam. Incertezas na aplicação dos conhecimentos adquiridos, contato direto com o paciente, longos e exaustivos plantões, redução do tempo livre e a dificuldade na escolha da especialidade médica são alguns dos fatores que os estudos apontam para explicar a maior presença de sintomas de ansiedade e depressão no último ano da faculdade (Al-Faris et al, 2012;Benevides-Pereira & Gonçalves, 2009;Costa et al, 2012;Leão, Martins, Menezes, & Bellodi, 2011;Millan & Arruda, 2008;Yussuf, Issa, Ajiboye, & Buhari, 2013).…”

Depression among Medical versus Non-Medical Students in Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah Al-Mukaramah, Saudi Arabia

“…The prevalence of depression was different among King Saud University students, it was 48.2% divided into mild (21%), moderate (17%) and severe (11%) [2]. Another study showed a positive correlation between depression and anxiety among 450 female medical students at King Abdulaziz University, depression percentage found to be 14.7% while anxiety was 34.9%, considering the depression as the first predictor of morbid anxiety [3].…”