Prevalence of depression signs among medical students in Belém, Pará

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of depression sign and its quantification in medical students according to the Beck’s Depression Inventory. Methods: Research protocols were analyzed applied to 220 medical students of 1st year and 4th year of a public institution and a private institution. It was collected the age, gender, origin and marital status; it was also used the Beck’s Depression Inventory, in order to evaluate the depressive disorder. Results: The predominant age group was 19-22 years, representing 50.9%. Of the respondents, 62.7% were women. Regarding marital status, only 5% of students were married and 95% single. Finally, the degree of depression was found: 59.5% without depression, 25.1% mild / moderate, 7.7% moderate / severe and 3.6% very serious. So prevalent was the presence of mild depressive indication in students from the 1st year (32.5%) compared to the 4th year (25%).Furthermore, the rate of students that had no depression signs was higher in students from the 1st year of a public institution (65.2%), when the opposite occurred at a private institution, where the rate was higher in students from the 4th year (74%). Conclusion: Concluding, it is noticed that there’s a presence of depression signs among medical students of both universities, therefore, it is important to undertake measures aimed at prevention and recognition that student to better psycho-pedagogical orientation.