MENTAL HEALTH AND THE PREVALENCE OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Introduction: Medical education is recognized as one of the most challenging academic paths, characterized by an intense workload and early exposure to situations involving human suffering. These factors frequently affect students’ mental health, making the investigation of their psychological well-being relevant. Objective: To conduct a literature review on the mental health of medical students, focusing on the prevalence of anxiety and depression, identifying trends, knowledge gaps, and possible associated factors. Materials and methods: This study is an integrative literature review that brings together and critically evaluates studies on the mental health of medical students. The methodological process included defining the research question, searching for and selecting relevant studies, extracting and analyzing data, synthesizing the results, and drawing conclusions. The literature search was conducted in recognized databases, including PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar. The descriptors used were “mental health,” “medical students,” “depression,” and “anxiety,” combined using the Boolean operator “AND.” Results and discussion: The analyzed studies demonstrated a high occurrence of anxiety and depression symptoms among medical students. The main associated factors included academic overload, pressure to perform, sleep deprivation, and difficulties in balancing personal and academic life. These findings reinforce the need for greater attention to mental health throughout medical education. Final considerations: The literature indicates that medical students are particularly vulnerable to developing anxiety and depression. Therefore, strengthening institutional strategies for prevention, support, and psychological care is essential to promote students’ mental health and quality of life.