title: Depressive symptoms in medical students: prevalence and related factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of depression and the factors that influence it in Korean medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated depression in 122 first- and second-year medical students in December 2011 using the Korean Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI). Sixteen potential factors were considered: gender, class year, grade point average, breakfast habits, residence type, leisure activity, sleep satisfaction, relationship status, a close friend or a significant other, finances, present health status, history of mood disorders, family history of mood disorders, religion, and self-esteem.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average BDI score was 8.9. There were 80 (65.6%), 16 (13.1%), 15 (12.3%), and 11 (9.0%) students with minimal, mild, moderate, and severe depression, respectively. The group with depressive symptoms comprised males with a total BDI score > or =24 and females with total BDI > or =25 and constituted 9.0% of students. Students in the depressive symptom group had lower self-esteem and lower grade point averages and were more frequently ill, less likely to be in a relationship, and more likely to have a history of mood disorders (p<0.05 for all). In particular, low self-esteem score was an independent factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BDI scores in our study were similar to those that have been reported in other countries but slightly higher than in other Korean medical and university students. Self-esteem, grade point average, health status, history of mood disorders, family history of mood disorders, and presence of a significant other correlated significantly with depression in medical students.
authors: Department of Pathology, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors: Bomi
authors: B
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Medical Education, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors: Hyerin
authors: H
authors: Roh
keywords: Depression; Medical students; Self concept; Social support