Pars Journal of Medical Sciences

Depressive symptoms in medical students and physicians

Author

Abstract

Depression is one of the most commom and disabliding mental disorders with 15-25% life time prevalence.

Physicians are not immune against this disorder and depression of them may be so dangerous for their patients .The aim of this study is determination of depressive symptoms in medical students and physicians.


Method :

In a cross- sectional study ,1000 Beck Depression Inventories (BDI)were distributed among different grades medical students ,general practitioners & specialists.Primary data analyzed by chi-square ,anova & Kruskal –Wallis tests in the spss software.


Results:

 435(261males & 171 females) completed the questionnaires. 69.2% of them were single and 30.8% were married .

Mean Beck Score (BS) WAS 13.6 for all of them .In the lst.,4th & 6th .Grade student ,general practitioners and specialists groups the mean BS were 11.2 ,11.9,16.3 ,19.8& 9.6 respectively.

There was no significant differences between males & females or between singles & who married according to BS.


Conclusion :

The results of this study indicate that depressive symptoms are common in medical students & physicians, specially general practitioners, and so ,appropriate interventions for prevention & treatment of this problem is strongly recommended.

Keywords

1) Sadock Bj , Sadock VA .synopsis of psychiatry Williams & Wilkins. 9 th ed 2003:535 . 2) Sasock BJ , Sadock VA . Comprehensive textbook of psychiatry Williams & Eilkins . 7 th ed 2000;1284-1344 . 3) Seeley HF . The practice of anesthesia – a stress for the middle aged . Anesthesia, 1996:21(6) : 571 –4. 4) Stewart SM, Beston C. Stress and vulnerability in medical students . Medical education , 1995: 26 (2): 119-27. 5) Center c, .Confrontation depression and suicide in physicians , Employment Law center and the University of California, Hosting college of Law , San Franciso , USA . 6) Danoff D , Helmers KF. Stress & depressed mood in medical & law students at MC.Gill university .Acad Med Aug1997: 27 (8) : 703 –14 . 7)Chong pp , Ford DE. Insomnia in young men and Subsequent Depression ,the Joun Hopkins precursors study .Am J.of epidemiology .1997:146(2): 105-4 . 8)Tssen R,Vaglum P.suicidal ideation among medical students and young physicians. Journal of affective disorders .2001:69-79. 9)Rosol MC, Ockene IS.A longitudinal study of student’s depression at one medical school at one medical school.1997:1040-2446. 10)Inam SN,Saqib A.Prevalence of anxiety and depression among medical students. J.pak. 2003: 53(2):44-7.