Depression in medical students: insights from a longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Depression among medical students is a significant concern with poorly understood contributing factors.
• Understanding the prevalence, persistence, and evolving factors associated with depression is vital for student well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of depression in medical students.
• To analyze changes in depression levels throughout medical school.
• To identify factors associated with persistent depression and their temporal dynamics.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, longitudinal observational study involving 238 medical students over four academic years.
• Annual assessments using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Maslach Burnout Inventory.
• Statistical analyses including ANOVA and K-means cluster analysis to identify predictors and patterns of depression.

Main Results:

• Depression prevalence ranged from 21.5% to 12.7% over the study period, with BDI scores generally decreasing.
• 19.7% of students exhibited sustained high BDI scores, linked to high trait-anxiety, career choice based on income/prestige, relationship issues, and cynicism.
• Students with initial high BDI but low anxiety and a genuine interest in medicine showed mood improvement and reduced burnout.

Conclusions:

• Personal factors such as anxiety traits, motivations for choosing medicine, relationship dynamics, and academic burnout significantly influence persistent depression in medical trainees.
• Medical institutions must proactively identify and support students experiencing depression, particularly those with long-term symptoms, to ensure timely intervention.