title: Prevalence of depressive symptoms and its correlates among medical students in China: a national survey in 33 universities.
abstract: We conducted a national survey among medical students in China to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and explore associated risk factors based on an established questionnaire composed of demographic information, life events in the past four weeks before survey, and the validated Chinese version of the 21-item Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The mean age of enrolled 9010 students was 20.7 (standard deviation: 1.6) years. BDI scores indicated that 19.9% had depressive symptoms based on the cut-off score of 14. Socioeconomic factors and student characteristics such as male sex, low monthly income per capita, father's poor education background, and higher year of study were associated with higher prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students. Students who studied in comprehensive universities were more likely to have depressive symptoms compared with those from medical universities. Habitual smoking and alcohol drinking, sleep deprivation, and hospitalization or medication for one week or more in the last four weeks also predisposed students to higher risk of depressive symptoms. Our results indicate that depressive symptoms are becoming a highly prevalent health problem among Chinese medical students. Primary and secondary prevention should be prioritized to tackle this issue based on potential risk factors.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Xiong-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: b Department of Forensic Psychiatry , West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Jun-Mei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Si-Qi
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: c Department of Cancer Epidemiology , Henan Office of Cancer Control and Research, Henan Cancer Hospital & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou 450008 , China.
authors.forename: Shao-Kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: d Section of Health Statistics, Weifang Medical University , Department of Public Health , Weifang 261053 , China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Qing-Ping
authors.initials: QP
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: b Department of Forensic Psychiatry , West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: e Department of Social Medicine and Health Education , Academy of Public Health, Guiyang Medical University , Guiyang 550004 , China.
authors.forename: Chang-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: f Department of Cancer Epidemiology , Cancer Institute of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100021 , China.
authors.forename: Yu-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: g Department of Epidemiology , School of Public Health, Dalian Medical University , Dalian 116044 , China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610041 , China.
authors.forename: Chun-Xia
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: h Department of Program Insight and Results , International Programs Group, World Vision US , Washington , DC 20002 , United States.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Beck’s Depression Inventory; China; Depressive symptoms; medical students; prevalence