The Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Its Association with Sleep Quality among Medical Students

Abstract

Objectives: Currently, depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students are important health issues at global level. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress among medical students, and its association with socio-demographic characteristics and sleep quality. Materials and Methods: DASS-42 Scale and Richard Campbell Sleep Questionnaire were used to assess information on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep quality. A total of 610 students (44.10% males and 55.90% females) with mean age of 20.90±2.10 years participated in the present study. Results: The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress were 60%, 66%, and 63% among all participated medical students, respectively. Depression level was high among students with poor economic level. Anxiety level was high among pre-clinical students with poor economic level, females and the ones whose choice of the medical faculties was not voluntarily. Stress level was higher in females. The correlation between sleep quality and depression, anxiety, stress was found statistically significant, negative, and low level. High depression, anxiety, and stress levels decreased students' sleep quality. Conclusion:An important proportion of medical students had high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Providing individual guidance and psychological counseling services for medical students could be beneficial.

Exploring Perceived Stress among Students in Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Compared to stress levels of Turkish students before the pandemic [35], current research shows significantly higher levels, with 39.9% of students and 63% of medical students reporting medium and high levels [67] pre-pandemic and 94.4% during the pandemic in our research. The stress level among Turkish nursing students surveyed in April-May 2020 was moderated [55] and therefore different from the high level among students in our study in May-June 2020.…”

Predictors and prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD among university students during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey

“…High perceived stress, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and PTSD have been seen among students during the pandemic. Perceived stress, defined by the level of symptoms of relaxation difficulty, nervous stimulation, quick worry, pressure, discomfort, overreaction, and intolerance (Dogan and Dogan, 2019), is an imbalance between an individual's perception and external demands. Generalized anxiety 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1087528 disorder (GAD) is described by sadness, fear (Quek et al, 2019), persistence of excessive worries, distressing emotions, physiological arousal, bodily sensations, thoughts of danger avoidance and other defensive behaviors, and nervousness (Spitzer et al, 2006).…”

“…Also, the effects of COVID-19 on their studies, such as distance education and lockdowns, led to higher anxiety ( Quek et al, 2019 ). Depression is defined by a feeling of worthlessness, dissatisfaction, despair, loss of interest, and low energy ( Doğan and Doğan, 2019 ). People with a lack of social interactions have more tendency to depression ( Shafiq et al, 2021 ).…”

Effect of group psychoeducation on depression, anxiety, stress and coping with stress of nursing students: A randomized controlled study

“…16 In Turkey rates of 27.10%-73.50%, 17.90%-55.40%, and 27%-46.40% were reported for depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively, among students attending different departments and health-related departments in universities in Turkey. 17 Mental problems like depression, anxiety, and stress may display themselves in cognitive form like isolation or lack of concentration and sometimes in behavioral form like restlessness, tension, and so forth. 18,19 In university students these symptoms may be observed more as poor family relationships, falls in academic performance, dropping out of university, reduced social functionality, illegal drug use, and high suicide rates (more than 800,000 annually).…”

“…In addition, disclosing oneself to an individual outside the family is perceived as a personal weakness, and individuals have difficulty in accepting the existence of the problem and seeking help 16 . In Turkey rates of 27.10%–73.50%, 17.90%–55.40%, and 27%–46.40% were reported for depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively, among students attending different departments and health‐related departments in universities in Turkey 17 . Mental problems like depression, anxiety, and stress may display themselves in cognitive form like isolation or lack of concentration and sometimes in behavioral form like restlessness, tension, and so forth 18,19 .…”