Medical students' self-report of mental health conditions

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the subjective presenceof a range of subsyndromal and syndromal mental health conditions in medical students, and to compare the presence of these conditions between preclinical and clinical training. METHODS: A cross sectional study was used among first-and fifth-year medical students. Student reported their mental health conditions using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, the fourth version (DSM-IV). Data analysis was based on 110 questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 61 students (55.5%) reported that they experienced symptoms of mental illness, albeit many with minimum severity. More than 50% of the students reported that they experienced Axis I and Axis II disorders, which mostly were mood disorders (38% in year 1 and 35% in year 5) and obsessive-compulsive traits (41% in year 1 and 46% in year 5), respectively. The least common disorders reported were psychotic disorders (5% in year 1 and 0% in year 5) and schizotypal traits (7% in year 1 and 2% in year 5). Fifth-year students reported more Axis I disorders than first-year students. Female students reported more Axis I disorders than their male peers. A further analysis indicated that there was no significant association between age and Axis disorders. Several conditions were comorbid with other mental illnesses. CONCLUSIONS: A great number of students reported that they experience mental health conditions with minimal severity. This implies a need for indispensable ongoing support programs for the special needs of medical students.