6th Year Student at Pompeu Fabra University, Spanish Council of Medical Students (CEEM), Barcelona, Spain.
6th Year Student at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spanish Council of Medical Students (CEEM), Madrid, Spain.
PLoS One. 2021 Dec 2;16(12):e0260359. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260359. eCollection 2021.
Medical Education studies suggest that medical students experience mental distress in a proportion higher than in the rest of the population In the present study, we aimed to conduct a nationwide analysis of the prevalence of mental health problems among medical students. The study was carried out in 2020 in all 43 medical schools in Spain, and analyzes the prevalence of depression, anxiety, empathy and burnout among medical students (n = 5216). To measure these variables we used the Beck Depression Inventory Test for assessing depression, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey for Students was used for burnout, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess anxiety state and trait and the Jefferson Empathy Scale 12 to obtain empathy scores. In relation to depression, the data indicate an overall prevalence of 41%, with 23.4% of participants having moderate to severe levels, and 10% experiencing suicidal ideation. Burnout prevalence was 37%, significantly higher among 6th year than among 1st year students. Anxiety levels were consistent with those reported previously among medical students (25%), and were higher than in the general population for both trait and state anxiety. The prevalence of trait anxiety was higher among women. Empathy scores were at the top end of the scale, with the highest-scoring group (>130) containing a greater percentage of women. Similarly to those published previously for other countries, these results provide a clear picture of the mental disorders affecting Spanish medical students. Medicine is an extremely demanding degree and it is important that universities and medical schools view this study as an opportunity to ensure conditions that help minimize mental health problems among their students. Some of the factors underlying these problems can be prevented by, among other things, creating an environment in which mental health is openly discussed and guidance is provided. Other factors need to be treated medically, and medical schools and universities should therefore provide support to students in need through the medical services available within their institutions.
医学教育研究表明，医学生的心理健康问题比其他人群更为突出。本研究旨在对西班牙全国范围内医学生心理健康问题的流行情况进行分析。该研究于 2020 年在西班牙的 43 所医学院校进行，分析了医学生（n=5216 人）中抑郁、焦虑、同理心和倦怠的流行情况。为了测量这些变量，我们使用贝克抑郁量表评估抑郁，使用 Maslach 倦怠量表学生版评估倦怠，使用状态-特质焦虑量表评估状态和特质焦虑，使用 Jefferson 同理心量表 12 版获得同理心得分。关于抑郁，数据显示总体患病率为 41%，其中 23.4%的参与者有中度至重度抑郁，10%的人有自杀意念。倦怠的患病率为 37%，六年级学生明显高于一年级学生。焦虑水平与之前报道的医学生相似（25%），特质焦虑和状态焦虑均高于普通人群。女性的特质焦虑患病率更高。同理心得分处于量表的高分端，得分较高的群体（>130）中女性比例更高。与其他国家之前发表的结果类似，这些结果清楚地描绘了影响西班牙医学生的精神障碍。医学是一门要求极高的专业，大学和医学院校应将这项研究视为一个机会，确保为学生创造有助于最小化心理健康问题的条件。通过营造公开讨论心理健康问题和提供指导的环境等措施，可以预防其中一些问题的发生。其他因素需要进行医学治疗，因此医学院校和大学应通过其机构内提供的医疗服务为有需要的学生提供支持。
