Screening for Negative Emotional Syndromes Among Medical Students in Upper Egypt

Objectives: To assess anxiety and depression levels among medical students in Upper Egypt and to identify associated risk factors. Subjects and Methods: The Arabic Version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) was used to screen for depression and anxiety among the 1200 medical students (300 from Beni Suef Faculty of Medicine and 900 from Sohag Faculty of Medicine).Results: Anxiety is more prevalent than depression among medical students in Upper Egypt. Depression was absent in almost four-fifths of medical students in Upper Egypt (83% in Beni Suef and 76.9% in Sohag). Difference between medical students in both governorates was not statistically significant. Anxiety was absent in almost two-thirds of medical students in Upper Egypt (67% in Beni Suef and 63.8% in Sohag). Difference between medical students in both governorateswas not statistically significant. Grades of depression were significantly more prevalent among older medical students (p 0.001), females (p 0.001), students at the clinical stages (p 0.001), parental consanguinity (p=0.020) and medical students with positive family history of psychiatric disorder (p 0.001). Grades of anxiety were significantly more prevalent among female medical students (p 0.001), parental consanguinity (p=0.017) and medical students with positive family history of psychiatric disorder (p=0.024). Conclusions: Medical students are vulnerable to depression and anxiety. Older students, female sex, clinical studies, parental consanguinity and positive family history of psychiatric disorders constitute risk factors for depression while female gender, consanguinity and positive family history of psychiatric disorders constitute risk factors for anxiety. Recommendations: Psychological and psychiatric support for medical students is a well-established need that should bemet. The process of medical education should be analyzed to recognize sources of stress that should be dealt with accordingly. This study should be replicated on other university students to identify the impact of other types of university education on the mental health of students.