Depression and suicidal ideation in medical students in China: a call for wellness curricula

Abstract

ObjectivesTo investigate rates of depression and suicidal ideation in medical students in mainland China and to explore wellness curricula and mental health services available to students.MethodsSecond and third year medical students (N=348) at one medical school in mainland China completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Based on responses to the PHQ-9, students were labeled as depressed, with suicidal ideation, and/or impaired. Additionally, students’ feedback from a focus group (N=30) evaluating the current state of the school’s wellness curricula and mental health services was thematically analyzed.ResultsA total of 348 students responded (response rate = 99%) to the survey. Forty-seven of 348 (13.5%) students had moderate-severe depression. The mean PHQ-9 score was 6.02 (SD=3.44). Seven and a half percent of students reported suicidal ideation. The frequency of depression and suicidal ideation did not differ between second and third year medical students (p = 0.52). Nearly 30% of depressed students reported suicidal ideation. Depression and suicidal ideation were strongly correlated (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). Students with depression (p < 0.0001) or suicidal ideation (p = 0.004) were more likely to be impaired compared to students who were not. Focus group participants reported only off-campus student counseling services available to medical students in distress. No wellness curricula were established.ConclusionsRates of depression and suicidal ideation are high in medical students in mainland China. Mental health services are deficient and unlikely to address distress in students. Chinese medical schools should offer mental health support and treatment at an early stage, such as wellness curricula and proactive student counseling.

The potential role of attitudes towards suicide between mental health status and suicidal ideation among Chinese children and adolescents

“…The primary goal of this study was to establish mental health status and attitudes towards suicide as predictors of suicidal ideation among a sample of Chinese children and adolescents. In line with previous studies, which indicate that attitudes towards suicide and mental health are significant predictors of suicidal ideation in young and older adult samples (Limbacher & Domino ; Stack & Wasserman ; Gutierrez et al ; Caldwell et al ; Gibb et al ; Joe et al ; Salander et al ; Hintikka et al ; Nurka & Amila ; Amanda et al ; Milner et al ; Sobowale et al ), the current study replicated these findings and showed that the effects are also evident in the present children and adolescent sample. Specifically, attitudes towards suicide and mental health were found to account for an additional 15.1% of variance in suicidal ideation beyond what was accounted for by demographic variables.…”

Prevalence of Depression, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation Among Medical Students

“…Twenty-four cross-sectional studies (n = 21 002) in 15 countries reported on the prevalence of suicidal ideation (Table 2). 4,5,34,62,65,73,74,79,112,160,165,167,174,[185][186][187][188][189][190][191][192][193][194][195] Medical student training level, continent or region, country, diagnostic criteria or screening instrument cutoff, and total Newcastle-Ottawa scores for the studies appear in eTable 1 in the Supplement. Newcastle-Ottawa score components for all 195 individual studies appear in eTable 2 in the Supplement.…”

A Cross Sectional Study Of The Prevalence Of Depression Among The Male Post-Graduate Medical Students Of Gauhati Medical College And Hospital, India

“…A recently conducted Chinese study reported 7.5% suicidal ideation among medical students. This figure can go high up to 30% in depressed students (Sobowale K et al, 2014). Studies have also reported suicidal ideation among medical students.…”