A cross sectional study on depression, anxiety and their associated factors among medical students in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Background: Medical College is recognized as a stressful environment that often exerts a negative effect on the academic performance, physical health and psychological wellbeing of the student. Depression and anxiety among medical students is an area of increasing concern worldwide. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety and its associated factors among medical students in Jhansi, India. Methods: : A cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students from the first to fourth year of medical college, Jhansi by using random sampling method. A pre-tested questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic variables, factors inducing depression and anxiety was administered on the sampled population. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) was used to assess the level of depression and anxiety. Data obtained were collected and analyzed statistically by simple proportions and chi-square test. Results: The overall prevalence of depression and anxiety was found to be 64%. Among those with anxiety and depression, a majority (73%) had mild and moderate degree of depression. The study showed that females (63%) were more depressed in comparison to male (54%). The prevalence of depression was comparatively more among first year medical students (61%). The prevalence was significantly more among those with family problems, using substance abuse, staying in hostel and having family history of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression and anxiety is high among medical students. This study suggests that there are certain risk factors other than academic stressors which predispose a medical student to psychological morbidity such as anxiety and depression. Hence there is a need for early screening and psychiatric counselling of this vulnerable population.

A cross sectional study to assess the psychological morbidity (depression, anxiety, stress) among undergraduate medical students in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru

“…6 The prevalence of anxiety was 54.97% in this study, where as it was 66.9% in a study conducted at Bhubaneswar and it was found to be as high as 71% in a study conducted at Jhansi. 4,5 The prevalence of stress was 45.7% in this study, whereas it was 53% in the study conducted at Bhubaneswar. 4 The study conducted at Basra showed the prevalence of stress to be 44.6% and the study at impala showed 28.4% of the students were under stress.…”

“…7,8 A significant association was found between alcohol and depression, alcohol and stress, alcohol and anxiety, smoking and stress and stress with unsatisfaction with studies whereas association was found between substance abuse and anxiety (p≤0.01) and substance abuse with depression (p≤0.01) in a study conducted at Jhansi. 5 The study at Bhubaneswar showed significant association of Smoking, alcohol with depression, anxiety and stress. 4…”

“…The prevalence of depression in this study was 42.39% whereas the prevalence of depression in the studies conducted at Bhubaneswar and Jhansi were 51.3% and 57% respectively. 4,5 A study conducted at Kathmandu showed the prevalence to be 29.76%. 6 The prevalence of anxiety was 54.97% in this study, where as it was 66.9% in a study conducted at Bhubaneswar and it was found to be as high as 71% in a study conducted at Jhansi.…”

Assessment of prevalence of depression and anxiety and factors associated with them in undergraduate medical students of Dr. S. N. Medical College, Jodhpur

“…11 Gender did not have significant association with either anxiety or depression as was seen in a study conducted by Sidana, Kishore, et al 12 It was observed in our study that presence of depression was significantly associated with presence of co-morbidities such as T2DM, HTN, Asthma, etc. ; no.…”

Depression and Alcohol Use in Undergraduate Medical Students in a Private Medical College

“…[14] However, another study by Yadav, Gupta and Malhotra found contrasting results, wherein females had higher prevalence of depression than males. [15] Second year students had the highest prevalence of severe (31%) and extreme (33.3%) depression. It was also observed that those students who had never failed and those who had failed once had the highest prevalence of extreme depression (7.1%).…”