Symptoms of depression and stress perception in medical students: Needs for attention and willingness to get help

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Claudia Fouilloux
Silvia Aracely Tafoya
Virginia Barragán
Alejandra Navarro-Escalera
Esther Mahuina Campos-Castolo
Juan José Sánchez-Sosa

Abstract

Objective. To assess medical students’ needs for care and the association of depressive symptoms and perceived stress with readiness to receive care. Method. Through a cross-sectional study, a total of 1,226 medical students from different years of university schooling participated. Participants responded to a digital survey including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), modified for stress; and a questionnaire to assess care needs. Results. A total of 68% of participants expressed willingness to get help and 82% of these considered that the person who could best help them was a health professional. A total of 71% of those willing to get help preferred individual, face-to-face modality and 50% considered that help should take between 4 and 8 sessions. Lower willingness to get help was associated with very limited economic resources (OR = 2.58, p = .029), high depressive symptoms score (OR= 0.98, p = .046), and higher perception of stress (OR= 0.96, p < .0001). Conclusions: The increase of symptoms is the best indicator for the willingness to ask for help, sex and academic year do not seem to influence the willingness to seek help. 

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How to Cite
Fouilloux, C., Tafoya, S. A., Barragán, V., Navarro-Escalera, A., Campos-Castolo, E. M., & Sánchez-Sosa, J. J. (2021). Symptoms of depression and stress perception in medical students: Needs for attention and willingness to get help. Revista Latinoamericana De Medicina Conductual / Latin American Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 11(1), 1–10. Retrieved from https://journals.unam.mx/index.php/rlmc/article/view/80368

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