Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-21T19:29:54.921Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mental health treatment needs for medical students: a national longitudinal study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 September 2008

Mirim Midtgaard ,
Øivind Ekeberg ,
Per Vaglum  and
Reidar Tyssen
Mirim Midtgaard
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, N-0317 Oslo, Norway
Øivind Ekeberg
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, N-0317 Oslo, Norway Department of Acute Medicine, Ullevaal University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway
Per Vaglum
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, N-0317 Oslo, Norway
Reidar Tyssen*
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, N-0317 Oslo, Norway
*
*Corresponding author. Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Domus Medica, Sognsvannsveien 9, PO Box 1111, Blindern, N-0317 Oslo, Norway. Tel.: +47 2285 1187; fax: +47 2285 1300. E-mail address: [email protected] (R. Tyssen).
Get access

Abstract

Purpose

We aimed to study the occurrence and predictors of medical students' mental health problems that required treatment.

Subjects and methods

Medical students from all Norwegian universities (N = 421) were surveyed in their first term (T1), and 3 (T2) and 6 (T3) years later. The dependent variable was “Mental health problems in need of treatment”. Predictor variables included personality traits, medical school stress and negative life events.

Results

The lifetime prevalence of mental health problems was 15% at T1. At T2, of the 31% who reported problems during the first 3 years, a majority had not sought help. At T3, 14% reported problems during the preceding year. Adjusted predictors of problems at T2 were previous mental health problems (p < .001), low level of intensity personality trait (extraversion) (p < .01), reality weakness personality trait (p < .01), perceived medical school stress (p < .05) and negative life events (p < .05).

Discussion

Mental health problems during the first 3 years were predicted by previous problems, personality, medical school stress and negative life events.

Conclusion

A third of the students reported mental health problems during the first 3 years. Intervention should focus on both individual problems and contextual stress.

Keywords

Medical studentsCohort studiesMental disorderStressLife change eventsPersonality
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 23 , Issue 7 , October 2008 , pp. 505 - 511
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aasland, O.G.Olff, M.Falkum, E.Schweder, T.Ursin, H.Health complaints and job stress in Norwegian physicians: the use of an overlapping questionnaire design Soc Sci Med. 45 1997 1615–1629CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aktekin, M.Karaman, T.Senol, Y.Y.Erdem, S.Erengin, H.Akaydin, M.Anxiety, depression and stressful life events among medical students: a prospective study in Antalya, Turkey Med Educ. 35 2001 12–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bramness, J.G.Fixdal, T.C.Vaglum, P.Effect of medical school stress on the mental health of medical students in early and late clinical curriculum Acta Psychiatr Scand. 84 1991 340–345CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brimstone, R.Thistlethwaite, J.E.Quirk, F.Behaviour of medical students in seeking mental and physical health care: exploration and comparison with psychology students Med Educ. 41 2007 74–83CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carson, A.J.Dias, S.Johnston, A.McLoughlin, M.A.O'Connor, M.Robinson, B.L.et al.Mental health in medical students: a case control study using the 60 item General Health Questionnaire Scott Med J. 45 2000 115–116CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chew-Graham, C.A.Rogers, A.Yassin, N.'I wouldn't want it on my CV or their records': medical students' experiences of help-seeking for mental health problems Med Educ. 37 2003 873–880CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, D.C.Zeldow, P.B.Vicissitudes of depressed mood during four years of medical school JAMA. 260 1988 2521–2528CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dahlin, M.Joneborg, N.Runeson, B.Stress and depression among medical students: a cross-sectional study Med Educ. 39 2005 594–604CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dahlin, M.E.Runeson, B.Burnout and psychiatric morbidity among medical students entering clinical training: a three year prospective questionnaire and interview-based study BMC Med Educ. 7 2007 6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dyrbye, L.N.Thomas, M.R.Huntington, J.L.Lawson, K.L.Novotny, P.J.Sloan, J.A.et al.Personal life events and medical student burnout: a multicenter study Acad Med. 81 2006 374–384CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dyrbye, L.N.Thomas, M.R.Shanafelt, T.D.Medical student distress: causes, consequences, and proposed solutions Mayo Clin Proc. 80 2005 1613–1622CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dyrbye, L.N.Thomas, M.R.Shanafelt, T.D.Systematic review of depression, anxiety, and other indicators of psychological distress among U.S. and Canadian medical students Acad Med. 81 2006 354–373CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eysenck, H.J.The big five or giant three: criteria for a paradigmHalverson, C.R. Jr.Kohnstamn, G.A.Martin, R.P.The developing structure of temperament and personality from infancy to adulthood. 1994 Laurence Erlbaum Hillsdale, NJ37–51Google Scholar
Givens, J.L.Tjia, J.Depressed medical students' use of mental health services and barriers to use Acad Med. 77 2002 918–921CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldberg, D.P.Williams, P.A.A user's guide to the General Health Questionnaire Windsor: NFER-Nelson. 1988Google Scholar
Guthrie, E.Black, D.Bagalkote, H.Shaw, C.Campbell, M.Creed, F.Psychological stress and burnout in medical students: a five-year prospective longitudinal study J R Soc Med. 91 1998 237–243CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hem Ekeberg, E.Grønvold, N.T.Aasland, O.G., ØThe prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts among Norwegian physicians: results from a cross-sectional survey of a nationwide sample Eur Psychiatry. 15 2000 183–189Google Scholar
Henderson, S.J.Elon, L.Frank, E.Self-report of quality of medical student health care Med Educ. 41 2007 632–637CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jönsson, M.Öjehagen, A.Läkarstudenter upplever mer stress än andre studenter [in Swedish] Läkartidningen. 103 2006 840–843Google Scholar
Kjeldstadli, K.Tyssen, R.Finset, A.Hem, E.Gude, T.Grønvold, N.T.et al.Life satisfaction and resilience in medical school: a six-year longitudinal, nationwide and comparative study BMC Med Educ. 6 2006 48CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lazare, A.Klerman, G.L.Armor, D.J.Oral, obsessive, and hysterical personality patterns: an investigation of psychoanalytic concepts by means of factor analysis Arch Gen Psychiatry. 14 1966 624–630CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, X.C.Oda, S.Peng, X.Asai, K.Life events and anxiety in Chinese medical students Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 32 1997 63–67CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Malhi, G.S.Parker, G.B.Parker, K.Carr, V.J.Kirkby, K.C.Yellowlees, P.et al.Attitudes toward psychiatry among students entering medical school Acta Psychiatr Scand. 107 2003 424–429CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mosley, T.H. Jr.Perrin, S.G.Neral, S.M.Dubbert, P.M.Grothues, C.A.Pinto, B.M.Stress, coping, and well-being among third-year medical students Acad Med. 69 1994 765–767CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Niemi, P.M.Vainiomäki, P.T.Medical students' distress: quality, continuity and gender differences during a six-year medical programme Med Teach. 28 2006 136–141CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, L.W.Warner, T.D.Carter, D.Frank, E.Ganzini, L.Lyketsos, C.Caring for medical students as patients: access to services and care-seeking practices of 1,027 students at nine medical schools. Collaborative Research Group on Medical Student Healthcare Acad Med. 75 2000 272–277CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roness, A.Mykletun, A.Dahl, A.A.Help-seeking behaviour in patients with anxiety disorder and depression Acta Psychiatr Scand. 111 2005 51–58CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rosal, M.C.Ockene, I.S.Ockene, J.K.Barrett, S.V.Ma, Y.Hebert, J.R.A longitudinal study of students' depression at one medical school Acad Med. 72 1997 542–546CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Røvik, J.O.Tyssen, R.Gude, T.Moum, T.Ekeberg, Ø.Vaglum, P.Exploring the interplay between personality dimensions: a comparison of the typological and the dimensional approach in stress research Pers Indiv Diff. 42 2007 1255–1266CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saipanish, R.Stress among medical students in a Thai medical school Med Teach. 25 2003 502–506CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stewart, S.M.Betson, C.Marshall, I.Wong, C.M.Lee, P.W.Lam, T.H.Stress and vulnerability in medical students Med Educ. 29 1995 119–127CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tjia, J.Givens, J.L.Shea, J.A.Factors associated with undertreatment of medical student depression J Am Coll Health. 53 2005 219–224CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Torgersen, S.Hereditary-environmental differentiation of general neurotic, obsessive, and impulsive hysterical personality traits Acta Genet Med Gemellol. 29 1980 193–207CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Torgersen, S.Alnæs, R.Localizing DSM-III personality disorders in a three-dimensional structural space J Personal Disord. 3 1989 274–281CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyssen, R.Dolatowski, F.C.Røvik, J.O.Thorkildsen, R.F.Ekeberg, ØHem, E.et al.Personality traits and types predict medical school stress: a six-year longitudinal and nationwide study Med Educ. 41 2007 781–787CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyssen, R.Røvik, J.O.Vaglum, P.Grønvold, N.T.Ekeberg, ØHelp-seeking for mental health problems among young physicians: is it the most ill that seeks help? A longitudinal and nationwide study Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 39 2004 989–993CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyssen, R.Vaglum, P.Grønvold, N.T.Ekeberg, ØThe impact of job stress and working conditions on mental health problems among junior house officers: a nationwide Norwegian prospective cohort study Med Educ. 34 2000 374–384CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyssen, R.Vaglum, P.Grønvold, N.T.Ekeberg, ØFactors in medical school that predict postgraduate mental health problems in need of treatment: a nationwide and longitudinal study Med Educ. 35 2001 110–120CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyssen, R.Vaglum, P.Grønvold, N.T.Ekeberg, ØSuicidal ideation among medical students and young physicians: a nationwide and prospective study of prevalence and predictors J Affect Disord. 64 2001 69–79CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vitaliano, P.P.Russo, J.Carr, J.E.Heerwagen, J.H.Medical school pressures and their relationship to anxiety J Nerv Ment Dis. 172 1984 730–736CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zoccolillo, M.Murphy, G.E.Wetzel, R.D.Depression among medical students J Affect Disord. 11 1986 91–96CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.