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Association Between Perceived Medical School Diversity Climate and Change in Depressive Symptoms Among Medical Students: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

ABSTRACT: PURPOSE:To determine whether perceptions of the medical school diversity climate are associated with depression symptoms among medical students. METHODS:Longitudinal web-based survey conducted in the fall of 2010 and spring of 2014 administered to a national sample of medical students enrolled in 49 schools across the U.S. (n = 3756). Negative diversity climate measured by perceptions of the institution's racial climate; exposure to negative role modeling by medical educators; frequency of witnessing discrimination in medical school. Depression symptoms measured by the PROMIS Emotional Distress-Depression Short-Form. RESULTS:64% of students reported a negative racial climate; 81% reported witnessing discrimination toward other students at least once, and 94% reported witnessing negative role modeling. Negative racial climate, witnessed discrimination, and negative role modeling were independently and significantly associated with an increase in depression symptoms between baseline and follow-up. Adjusting for students' personal experiences of mistreatment, associations between depressive symptoms and negative racial climate and negative role modeling, remained significant (.72 [.51-.93]; .33 [.12-.54], respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Among medical students, greater exposure to a negative medical school diversity climate was associated with an increase in self-reported depressive symptoms.

SUBMITTER: Hardeman RR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5171227 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Winter

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Association Between Perceived Medical School Diversity Climate and Change in Depressive Symptoms Among Medical Students: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

Hardeman Rachel R RR Przedworski Julia M JM Burke Sara S Burgess Diana J DJ Perry Sylvia S Phelan Sean S Dovidio John F JF van Ryn Michelle M

Journal of the National Medical Association 20160924 4

<h4>Purpose</h4>To determine whether perceptions of the medical school diversity climate are associated with depression symptoms among medical students.<h4>Methods</h4>Longitudinal web-based survey conducted in the fall of 2010 and spring of 2014 administered to a national sample of medical students enrolled in 49 schools across the U.S. (n = 3756). Negative diversity climate measured by perceptions of the institution's racial climate; exposure to negative role modeling by medical educators; fre ...[more]

PMID: 27979008

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Project description:BackgroundAny curriculum change is essentially an environmental change; therefore there is a need to assess the impact of any change in the curriculum on the students' perception of the Educational Environment (EE) and psychological well-being. The objectives of the current study are to (i) compare the EE perceptions of medical students studying in a System Based Curriculum (SBC) with those studying in a traditional curriculum (ii) compare the rate of depressive symptoms among the same students studying in both types of curricula (iii) determine whether there is a difference in the EE perception and depressive symptoms based on gender and year of study.MethodsA cross sectional survey was conducted in a Saudi Medical School from 2007-2011, a period in which the school transitioned from a traditional to a SBC. A bilingual version of the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory was used for measuring the EE; the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II) was used for screening of depressive symptoms. A separate demographic questionnaire was also used. Mean scores and percentages were calculated. Continuous variables were summarized as means and standard deviation. For comparison of means, the effect size and student t test (with significance level of <0.05) were used. The percentages of the categorical data were compared using chi square test.ResultsThe mean total DREEM score of positive perception of the EE in the SBC students was significantly higher (better) than the traditional curriculum students (p?<?0.01) with an effect size of 0.472. The mean total score on the BDI-II inventory for depressive symptoms was higher (sicker) 21.3 among the female traditional curriculum students than 16.7 among the male traditional curriculum students and the difference was statistically significant (p?=?0.001). The BDI score of the female SBC students (14.7) was significantly lower (healthier) than the female traditional curriculum students (21.3). No similar change was noted for the male students.ConclusionThe current study adds to the advantages of the SBC indicating not only healthier EE for both genders but also healthier emotional well-being for female students only.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Co-existence of depression and anxiety can be associated with severe detrimental consequences to the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the affected populations. This study was conducted to determine prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among Palestinian medical students and to investigate associations between sociodemographic factors of the students with depressive and anxiety symptoms. METHODS:This study was conducted in a cross-sectional observational design using a questionnaire in the period between September 2018 and April 2019 in a major university in the West Bank of Palestine. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The questionnaire also collected the sociodemographic characteristics of the students. Reliability of the questionnaire was tested using the test re-test method. A total of 425 medical students were invited to participate in the study. RESULTS:Of those invited, 286 students completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 67.3%. More than half (56.6%) of the students had minimal depression, 20.3% had mild depression, 14.0% had moderate depression, 9.1% had severe depression, 23.4% had no anxiety, 29.7% had mild to moderate anxiety, 25.5% had moderate to severe anxiety, and 21.3% had severe anxiety. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that academic stage (p-value <?0.01), Grade Point Average (p-value <?0.01), mental health status (p-value <?0.001), ever attempted suicide (p-value <?0.05), and religious commitment (p-value <?0.01) were predictors of BDI-II scores. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that academic stage (p-value <?0.05) and mental health status (p-value <?0.001) were predictors of BAI scores. CONCLUSIONS:Depressive and anxiety symptoms were prevalent among Palestinian medical students in a major university in the West Bank of Palestine. Interventions might be designed to improve self-rated mental health of medical students in their academic years, ameliorate study conditions, and provision of counseling services to improve spirituality might be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety among medical students in Palestine. Future studies are still needed to investigate if these interventions could be useful in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms among Palestinian medical students.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Four percent of the world's population suffers from depression, which is a major public health issue. Medical students are at risk, as their depressive symptoms (DS) prevalence is reported to be approximately 27% worldwide. Since few data on Italian medical students exist, this study aimed to estimate their DS prevalence and assess risk and protective factors. METHODS:The PRIMES was a multicentre cross-sectional study performed in 12 Italian medical schools. Questionnaires were self-reported and included 30 sociodemographic items and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). The primary outcome was the presence of DS (BDI-II score?14). The main analyses were chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regressions with a p-value<0.05 considered significant. RESULTS:The number of collected questionnaires was 2,513 (117 BDI-II incomplete). Females accounted for 61.3% of the respondents, and the median age was 22 years (IQR = 4). The prevalence of DS was 29.5%. Specifically, 14.0% had mild depression, 11.1% had moderate depression, and 4.5% had severe depression. The main risk factors for DS were age, being female, bisexual/asexual orientation, living with partner/housemates, poor economic status (worsened by living far from home), less than 90 min of weekly exercise, relatives with psychiatric disorders, personal chronic disease, judging medical school choice negatively, unsatisfying friendships with classmates, competitive and hostile climate among classmates, thinking that medical school hinders specific activities and being worried about not measuring up to the profession. Protective factors included family cohesion, hobbies, intellectual curiosity as a career motivation and no worries about the future. CONCLUSION:Italian medical students are at high risk of reporting DS, similar to the global population of medical students'. Medical schools must make efforts to implement preventive and treatment interventions by offering counselling and working on modifiable factors, such as lifestyle and learning climate.

Dataset Information

Association Between Perceived Medical School Diversity Climate and Change in Depressive Symptoms Among Medical Students: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

Publications

Association Between Perceived Medical School Diversity Climate and Change in Depressive Symptoms Among Medical Students: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

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