title: Prevalence and incidence of mental health problems among Dutch medical students and the study-related and personal risk factors: a longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A high prevalence of mental health problems (i.e. depression and/or anxiety) has been found in medical students in comparison with the general population. Therefore, the objective was first to study the prevalence and 1-year incidence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and any mental health problems among Dutch medical students and, second, to study which study-related and personal factors present a risk of these mental health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-year prospective longitudinal study was performed among medical students of two medical faculties in the Netherlands (n=951). Health problems and study-related and personal factors were measured with an online questionnaire. Mental health problems were assessed by depression and/or anxiety symptoms (BSI-DEP and BSI-ANG). Univariate and multivariate hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed to examine which of the study-related and personal factors predict mental health problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At follow-up, 36%, 28% and 48% of the medical students reported symptoms of depression, anxiety and mental health problems, respectively. The incidence between 2010 and 2011 for depression was 20%, 17% for anxiety and 25% for mental health problems. Students who are worried about their own health during medical education are at an increased risk of future mental health problems (OR 2.0 [1.3-2.9], p=0.00). Excessive drinking behavior is a protective factor in this study (OR 0.7 [0.5-0.9], p=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that only two out of nine factors are significantly associated with mental health problems among Dutch medical students, one risk factor and one protective factor.
authors.forename: Jorien M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Borst
authors.forename: Monique H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Frings-Dresen
authors.forename: Judith K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sluiter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D065840:Protective Factors; D012307:Risk Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult