MD. Professor, Department of Public Health, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde (FCMS), Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP), Sorocaba (SP), Brazil.
Undergraduate Medicine Student, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde (FCMS), Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP), Sorocaba (SP), Brazil.
Sao Paulo Med J. 2022 Sep-Oct;140(5):697-704. doi: 10.1590/1516-3180.2021.0566.R2.05012022.
The worldwide prevalences of anxiety and depressive disorders are 3.6% and 4.4%, respectively. Among medical students, many studies have indicated that the prevalences of these mental disorders vary between 19.7% and 47.1%, but there is a lack of information on psychotropic drug usage in this group of students.
To evaluate the prevalence of psychotropic drug use, adherence to therapy and main clinical and diagnostic indications relating to psychotropic drug use among medical students.
Cross-sectional study at a Brazilian private university in the city of Sorocaba, state of São Paulo.
Observational analytical cross-sectional study, conducted during the second semester of 2019, through a semi-structured online questionnaire, answered by first to sixth-year medical students.
Among the 263 participants (41.7% of the 630 enrolled students), the current prevalence of psychotropic drug usage was 30.4%. This prevalence increased over the course and 90.7% of the drugs were prescribed at regular medical consultations (85.5% by psychiatrists). The main indications for psychotropic drug usage were anxiety (30.0%), depression (22.8%), insomnia (7.2%), panic (5.3%) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (3.8%). Women were more likely to present diagnoses of depression and panic. Most of the participants used antidepressants and had good adherence to medications. Adequate sleep and regular physical activity were identified as protective factors against mental disorders.
The prevalence of mental disorders among medical students is high, which justifies the use of psychotropic drugs. This study provides valuable information and recommendations for institutional educational actions to improve students' mental health.
焦虑症和抑郁症的全球患病率分别为 3.6%和 4.4%。在医学生中，许多研究表明这些精神障碍的患病率在 19.7%至 47.1%之间，但关于这组学生使用精神药物的信息却很缺乏。
评估医学生使用精神药物的流行率、治疗依从性以及与精神药物使用相关的主要临床和诊断指征。
在巴西索罗卡巴市的一所私立大学进行的横断面研究。
在 2019 年第二学期，通过半结构式在线问卷对第一至第六年的医学生进行了观察性分析性横断面研究。
在 263 名参与者（630 名入学学生中的 41.7%）中，目前精神药物使用的流行率为 30.4%。这种流行率随着时间的推移而增加，90.7%的药物是在常规医疗咨询中开的（85.5%是由精神科医生开的）。使用精神药物的主要指征是焦虑（30.0%）、抑郁（22.8%）、失眠（7.2%）、恐慌（5.3%）和注意缺陷多动障碍（3.8%）。女性更有可能出现抑郁和恐慌的诊断。大多数参与者使用抗抑郁药，且对药物的依从性良好。充足的睡眠和有规律的体育活动被确定为预防精神障碍的保护因素。
医学生的精神障碍患病率较高，这证明了使用精神药物的合理性。本研究为改善学生心理健康的机构教育行动提供了有价值的信息和建议。
