TY - JOUR PY - 2019// TI - Major depressive disorder in Mexican medical students and associated factors: a focus on current and past abuse experiences JO - Journal of affective disorders A1 - Romo-Nava, Francisco A1 - Bobadilla-Espinosa, Rosa I. A1 - Tafoya, Silvia A. A1 - Guízar-Sánchez, Diana P. A1 - Gutiérrez, Joaquín R. A1 - Carriedo, Pilar A1 - Heinze, Gerhard SP - 834 EP - 840 VL - 245 IS - N2 - BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent among medical students (MS). Abuse experiences, as well as stress, are among the factors associated with MDD. However, their association with MDD in MS has been scarcely addressed.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate the association between MDD and possible risk factors, focusing on current and past abuse experiences inside and outside the academic setting in a large representative MS sample (n = 1,068) using self-report instruments to assess MDD (PHQ-9) and perceived academic stress levels during exam season.

RESULTS: Depressive symptom severity directly correlates with levels of perceived academic stress. The prevalence of MDD was 16.2%. A history of emotional abuse during childhood or adolescence, as well as most types of current abuse were associated with MDD. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that current emotional abuse outside school had the strongest association with MDD in MS, followed by a personal history of depression and suicide attempt, a family history of depression, and perceived academic stress levels. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design, participants represent a specific population, and other variables that could be associated with MDD: comorbid psychiatric disorders, current antidepressant treatment and protective factors (resilience and health-promoting coping strategies) were not evaluated.

CONCLUSIONS: MDD is strongly associated with several risk factors that include most types of current and past abuse experiences. Timely identification of individuals at-risk will be critical to establish preventive strategies to limit the impact of MDD in MS and offer prompt therapeutic alternatives when needed.

Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0165-0327 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.11.083 ID - ref1 ER -