Depression among medical students of Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Background: Medical students are future of health care but depression in them may lead to less productivity, reduced quality of life, learning difficulties, and may negatively affect patient care. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of depression among first-, second-, and third-year medical s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2015
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/8767/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/8767/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/8767/1/P.184-191.pdf |
| Summary: | Background: Medical students are future of health care but depression in them may lead to less productivity, reduced
quality of life, learning difficulties, and may negatively affect patient care.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of depression among first-, second-, and third-year medical students and factors
associated with it in Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among first-, second-, and third-year male and
female students at the Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. A systematic random sampling
technique with proportional allocation was adopted to select students from both genders. Screening of medical students for
depression was conducted using the Arabic version of Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire. Another questionnaire
was used including all necessary variables that could be associated with depression among medical students.
Results: The study included 136 medical students aged between 19 and 24 years (mean age 20.9 ± 1.1 years). Slightly
more than half of them (53.7%) were women. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students
was 30.9%: mild among 18.4%, moderate among 9.6%, and severe among 2.9%. The prevalence of depressive symptoms
was higher among women than men (34.2% versus 27%). However, this difference was not statistically significant. Logistic
regression analysis showed that medical students of the third academic level were 70% less likely to have depression
compared to those of first academic level. Those who reported a history of loss of first-grade relative were at almost
threefold risk of developing depression opposed to those who had no such history in the last year. Those who had
moderate and high performance in examination were 70% and 84%, respectively, less likely to develop depression
compared to those who had low performance. Those who had a history of depression or current depression were at almost
threefold risk of developing depression than those who had no such history.
Conclusion: Depression is a significant hidden problem among medical students of Saudi Arabia. Almost one-third of
medical students enrolled in the first three academic years of Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah had symptoms
suggestive of depression. |
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