Behavioral and psychosocial predictors of depression in Bangladeshi medical students: a cross-sectional study
Description
Background: Depression, stress, and anxiety were found in a large number of medical undergraduate students, indicating a neglected aspect of their psychology that required immediate attention. The goal of this study was to find out the prevalence of depression among medical students, as well as potential psychosocial and behavioral predictors for depression. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2021 among 840 randomly selected medical students from four medical colleges by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire and were analyzed through the spss v-23 software. Multiple regression was performed to assess the effect of several behavioral and psychosocial factors on depression. Results: Among 840 study participants, 55.7%, n= 468 were female and 44.3%, n= 372 was male. According to the data, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, perceived stress among medical students was found 28.8 percent, 65 percent and 85 percent respectively. There is a strong link between depression and anxiety, stress, poor sleep quality, poor academic performance, and a negative social and romantic relationship status. Conclusion: A significant number of medical students are depressed. In order to prevent and treat depression, medical students should be screened for depression and its associated factors.