Samaranayake Chinthaka B, Fernando Antonio T
Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
N Z Med J. 2011 Aug 26;124(1341):12-7.
The aim of this study was to assess the satisfaction with life among undergraduate medical and other students in Auckland and identify associations with depression and anxiety disorders.
The study was conducted at The University of Auckland, New Zealand in 2008 and 2009. The sample population was derived from five undergraduate classes in four courses (medicine (two classes), nursing, health science and architecture). A battery of questionnaires including the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) for depression and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD) were administered to the cohort. Subgroup analysis between medical and other students were also carried out.
A total of 778 students were eligible, and 594 (76.4%) students (255 medical, 208 health science, 36 nursing and 95 architecture) completed the questionnaire. The median age was 20 years (range 17-45) and women represented 67.2% (n=399) of the total group. The mean SWLS score for the total group was 24.9 (SD 6.4), with medical students on average having higher satisfaction with life compared to other students. The rate of depression (PHQ = 10) and anxiety (GAD score = 8) among medical students was 16.9% (95% CI 12.2-21.5) and 13.7% (95%CI 9.5-18.0) respectively. Female students had higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to males. A statistically significant moderate correlation between SWLS score and PHQ score [r = -0.37 (p<0.001)] and SWLS score and GAD score [r = - 0.23 (p<0.001)] were also observed.
Medical students are more satisfied with life compared to other students. A significant proportion of students surveyed in this study have clinically significant depression and anxiety. Promoting positive wellbeing and improving satisfaction with life may enhance the quality of life as well as the social and academic performance of university students.
本研究旨在评估奥克兰本科医学生及其他专业学生的生活满意度，并确定其与抑郁和焦虑症的关联。
该研究于2008年和2009年在新西兰奥克兰大学开展。样本群体来自四门课程的五个本科班级（医学专业两个班级、护理专业、健康科学专业和建筑学专业）。对该队列的学生发放了一系列问卷，包括生活满意度量表（SWLS）、用于评估抑郁的患者健康问卷（PHQ）和广泛性焦虑症问卷（GAD）。还对医学生和其他专业学生进行了亚组分析。
共有778名学生符合条件，594名（76.4%）学生（255名医学生、208名健康科学专业学生、36名护理专业学生和95名建筑学专业学生）完成了问卷。中位年龄为20岁（范围17 - 45岁），女性占总群体的67.2%（n = 399）。总群体的平均SWLS得分为24.9（标准差6.4），与其他专业学生相比，医学生对生活的平均满意度更高。医学生中抑郁（PHQ = 10）和焦虑（GAD得分 = 8）的发生率分别为16.9%（95%置信区间12.2 - 21.5）和13.7%（95%置信区间9.5 - 18.0）。与男性相比，女性学生的抑郁和焦虑发生率更高。还观察到SWLS得分与PHQ得分[r = -0.37（p < 0.001）]以及SWLS得分与GAD得分[r = -0.23（p < 0.001）]之间存在具有统计学意义的中度相关性。
与其他专业学生相比，医学生对生活更满意。本研究中接受调查的相当一部分学生存在具有临床意义的抑郁和焦虑。促进积极的幸福感并提高生活满意度可能会提升大学生的生活质量以及社交和学业表现。
