Depressive symptoms and their correlates among predoctoral dental students in the United States.

Autor: Finkelman MD; Department of Public Health and Community Service, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA., Joseph A; Dental Arts Group, Elmer, New Jersey, USA., Khoynezhad S; Department of Prosthodontics, LSUHSC School of Dentistry, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.; Department of Restorative & Biomaterial Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA., Bordin TB; Department of Prosthodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of dental education [J Dent Educ] 2024 Jun; Vol. 88 (6), pp. 856-864. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Feb 13.
DOI: 10.1002/jdd.13492
Abstrakt: Objective: To investigate the prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms among predoctoral dental students in the United States and examine potential correlates.
Methods: A survey was emailed to all 66 dental schools in the United States, inviting them to distribute it to their predoctoral students. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Data collection occurred from February to April 2020. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to assess associations between demographic variables and depressive symptom severity category, adjusting for potential confounding.
Results: Of an estimated 25,000 predoctoral dental students at the 66 schools, 631 students from 21 schools completed the survey. A total of 24.1% were categorized as having minimal or no depressive symptoms, 33.6% as having mild depressive symptoms, and 42.3% as having moderate, moderately severe, or severe depressive symptoms. Gender (p = 0.015) and race/ethnicity (p = 0.002) were significant predictors of severity, adjusting for other variables. Students identifying as female had higher odds of self-reporting greater depressive severity symptoms compared with students identifying as male. Students identifying as African American/Black (non-Hispanic) and Asian/Pacific Islander had higher odds of self-reporting greater depressive severity symptoms compared with students identifying as White.
Conclusion: There is evidence of a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among predoctoral dental students in the United States. Demographic variables may be risk indicators within this population. Approaches to reduce depressive symptoms among US predoctoral dental students are needed.
(© 2024 American Dental Education Association.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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