Reduction of stress, depression and overweight by awareness of problems in Thai medical students, Srinakharinwirot University

Abstract

Objective : To determine the effect of awareness in reducing the stress, depression and overweight in medical students of Srinakharinwirot University.

Design : Cohort study.

Materials and Methods : All 646 medical students of Srinakharinwirot University were recruited, and the response rate was 86%. The study was done from September 2007 to March 2008. Each participant was evaluated at twice; at the end of the first and second semester. The diagnostic screening test for depression was from the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand and the stress test of Suanprung Hospital, Thailand. After evaluation at the end of the first semester, each student was told to be aware their health problems and explained the pre-clinical students the knowledge, then repeated the questionnaire. Categorical variables were analyzed using McNemar’s Chi-square test. A two-tailed p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results : Depression was significant decreased from the first semester to the second semester with odds ratio of 0.39 (95% CI = 0.18 – 0.78). Male students were more overweight than female students. Male gender was correlated to decrease depression with odds ratio of 0.17 (95% CI = 0.02 – 0.75). Students in clinical class had significant decreasing of depression and stress level from the first semester to the second semester with odds ratio of 0.12 (95% CI = 0.01 – 0.50) and 0.38 (95% CI = 0.18 – 0.75), respectively. But the students in the pre-clinical class had increased stress level with odds ratio of 1.76 (95% CI = 1.00 – 3.17).

Conclusion : The awareness of medical students in clinical class could decrease depression and stress level. Male students’ awareness affected decreasing of depression more than female students.