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

作者：Kunmi Sobowale, Alyssa Zhou, Jingyi Fan, Geoffrey Liu, Renslow D. Sherer · 发表于：International Journal of Medical Education · 年份：2014 · DOI：10.5116/ijme.52e3.a465 · 被引用次数：141 · 研究领域：Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout、Mental Health Treatment and Access、Medical Education and Admissions

OBJECTIVE: To 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. METHODS: Second 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. RESULTS: A 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. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of depression and suicidal ideation ar...