Abstract
Frequency of Depression among Medical Students in Tikrit University of College of Medicine
Author(s): Bassam Taha Saleh*, Abdulsattar Hussein Abdullah, Raheem Mohammed Shnawa, Hawazen Awad Hussein and Zeena Najmeldeen MajeedBackground: Major depressive disorder, often known as clinical depression, is a type of depression that affects a person's mental health and is characterized by poor mood and apathy.
Aim: Our study aimed to assess the frequency of depression among medical students in Tikrit University and its effects on their daily activities.
Methods: This is cross-section study was performed on 460 Iraqi undergraduate medical students at university of Tikrit, which was surveyed using an online self- administered questionnaire on google form distributed throughout social media of the college of medicine. The collected data was analysed and constructed using Microsoft programs and by manual statistical methods.
Results: This study revealed that 99.13% of participants reported with depression and only 0.86% are non-depressed, Prevalence of depression was apparently higher in females more than males. 306 in basic stages reported some degree of depression where the Prevalence was higher in the 2nd stage. Prevalence of depression among the medical students was apparently higher among those reported residence without family where the prevalence was 76 (29%) with moderate and 74 (28%) with severe depression out of 266 (57.8%) and those spent for more than 4 hours on social media was 61 (29%) with severe depression out of 207 (45%) of participants of medical students.
Conclusion: The prevalence of depression appears to be higher among medical students in different degrees and appears to be higher among females more than males. So, raising awareness regarding depression and other mental health problems among university students is important to help students seek professional help when needed.