Virginia Barragán-Pérez, Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Claudia Fouilloux-Morales, Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Esther M. Campos-Castolo, Departamento de Informática Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Silvia A. Tafoya, Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Background: The pandemic effects on the mental health of healthcare personnel is a public health problem. Objective: To determine factors associated with psychopathological symptomatology in undergraduate medical students. Material and methods: 2961 students from four generations answered the GHQ-28 online: n1. Pre-pandemic (n = 758) n2. Initial phase (n = 581), n3. Acute phase (n = 705), and n4. Protected return phase (n = 917), between August 2019 and September 2022. Using multivariable logistic regression models, factors associated (sociodemographic and clinical) with psychopathological symptomatology were identified. Results: 51.9% of students presented symptomatology, with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (22.9%), and somatic and sleep disturbance (11.1%). The pandemic phase (n2. OR = 12.69, n3. OR = 8.45, n4. OR = 5.62), having a personal history of major depression (OR = 4.35), family history of depression (OR = 1.96), limited (OR = 1.54) and insufficient economic resources (OR = 2.09) and being female (OR = 1.46) were significantly associated with symptomatology. Conclusions: The pandemic influenced the mental health of undergraduate medical students. Actions aimed at promoting healthy educational environments, and strategies for prevention and care of psychopathological symptomatology are necessary.
Keywords: Medical students. Pandemic. Mental health.