Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms and Its Correlates among Male Medical Students at the University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia

Abdullah M Alshahrani; Mohammad S Al-Shahrani; Elhadi Miskeen; Muffarah Hamid Alharthi; Mohannad Mohammad S Alamri; Mohammed A Alqahtani; Mutasim E Ibrahim

doi:10.3390/healthcare12060640

Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms and Its Correlates among Male Medical Students at the University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia

Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Mar 12;12(6):640. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12060640.

Authors

Abdullah M Alshahrani¹, Mohammad S Al-Shahrani², Elhadi Miskeen³, Muffarah Hamid Alharthi¹, Mohannad Mohammad S Alamri¹, Mohammed A Alqahtani⁴, Mutasim E Ibrahim^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 731, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Family Medicine, Armed Forces Hospital South Region, Khamis Mushait 62413, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Healthcare Delivery Department, Third Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Riyadh 12382, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Background: Identifying the potential factors of depression among medical students is the first step towards academic excellence and future safe medical practice.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2019 to February 2020 at the University of Bisha, College of Medicine (UBCOM), Bisha Province, Saudi Arabia. Male medical students from year one to year six were involved. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data about students' socio-demographic and academic characteristics. The Arabic version of the PHQ-9 scale with a score of ≥10 was used to identify depression. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the prevalence and correlates of depression.

Results: Of the 190 male students enrolled, 26.8% had depressive symptoms, of whom 45.1% were experiencing moderate to severe symptoms. The significantly highest depression rate was found among the second-year students, at 43.8% (OR = 2.544; 95% CI 1.178-5.714; p = 0.018), and the lowest rate was found among year one students, at 8.9% (OR = 0.203; 95% CI 0.075-0.560; p = 0.002). Univariate regression revealed a significant correlation between depression and dissatisfaction with family income, loss of family members, having psychological illness, difficulties in personal relationships, regretting studying medicine, failure in an academic year, a lower grade than expected, conflict with tutors, lack of college facilities and heavy academic load. In multivariate analysis, loss of family members (AOR = 3.69; 95% CI 1.86-7.413), difficulties in personal relationships (AOR = 2.371; 95% CI 1.009-5.575), regretting studying medicine (AOR = 3.764; 95% CI 1.657-8.550), and failing an academic year (AOR = 2.559; 95% CI 1.112-5.887) were independently correlated with depression.

Conclusions: The study concluded that medical students at UBCOM experience depressive symptoms associated with various risk indicators. Optimizing the educational and social environment and infrastructure facilities at UBCOM might promote students' mental health and well-being.

Keywords: Saudi Arabia; correlates; depression; medical students.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.