Prevalence of Mental Health Distresses Among Students at the Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi Campus
Abstract:
The study investigated the prevalence of Mental Health Distresses Among Students at the Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi Campus. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was used with 355 students from different departments. Proportion of student participants based on course of study showed that 61 (18.2%) were from nursing, 46 (13.7%) from health records, 61 (12.2%) from clinical medicine, 31 (9.3%) from medical laboratory technology, 30 (9.0%) for pharmacy and radiology respectively and 96 (28.7%) which constitute the majority falling into other medical courses in the university. For the religious affiliation, Christianity, 247 (73.7%), Islam, 43 (12.8%), and other religions, 45 (13.4%). Finally, males constituted 149 (44.5%) and females, 186 (55.5%). Of the 335 participants, 183 (54.6%) fell within the normal range of depression and others had either mild, 143 (42.7%) or moderate, 9(2.7%) depression. Majority of the participants had anxiety ranging from mild, 131 (39.1%, moderate, 93 (27.8%), severe, 4 (1.2%) and only 107 (31.9%) who had their anxiety within normal range. For stress, none of the participants had within normal range and severe range but those with mild stress level constitute 333 (99.4%) followed by moderate, 2 (.6%). The findings of the study corroborated other findings that showed the increasing mental health distress prevalence among medical students. Measures should be put in place to help medical students at the Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi Campus to manage their mental health distresses which will help in improving the student mental health status and health care delivery initiatives in Kenya.References:
[1]. Rtbey, G., Shumet, S., Birhan, B., and Salelew, E., 2022, “Prevalence of mental distress and associated factors among medical students of University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study,” BMC Psychiatry, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 1–9, Doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04174-w.
[2]. Bedaso, A., Duko, B., and Yeneabat, T., 2020, “Predictors of mental distress among undergraduate health science students of Hawassa University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, SNNPR, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study,” Annals of general psychiatry, vol. 19, pp. 1–5.
[3]. Sarkar, S., Gupta, R., and Menon, V., 2018, “A systematic review of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students in India,” Journal of Mental Health and Human Behavior, vol. 22, Doi: 10.4103/jmhhb.jmhhb_20_17.
[4]. Vahedian-Azimi, A., Moayed, M. S., Rahimibashar, F., Shojaei, S., Ashtari, S., and Pourhoseingholi, M. A., 2020, “Comparison of the severity of psychological distress among four groups of an Iranian population regarding COVID-19 pandemic,” BMC psychiatry, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 1–7.
[5]. Saeed, A., Bahnassy, A., Al-Hamdan, N., Almudhaibery, F., and Alyahya, A., 2016, “Perceived stress and associated factors among medical students,” Journal of Family and Community Medicine, vol. 23, no. 3, p. 166, Doi: 10.4103/2230-8229.189132.
[6]. Underdown, A., and Barlow, J., 2012, “Maternal emotional wellbeing and infant development: A good practice guide for Midwives,” The Royal College of Midwives, pp. 1–31.
[7]. El-Gilany, A. H., Amro, M., Eladawi, N., and Khalil, M., 2019, “Mental Health Status of Medical Students: A Single Faculty Study in Egypt,” J Nerv Ment Dis., Doi: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000970.
[8]. Esan, O., Esan, A., Folasire, A., and Oluwajulugbe, P., 2019, “Mental health and wellbeing of medical students in Nigeria: a systematic review,” International Review of Psychiatry, vol. 31, pp. 1–12, Doi: 10.1080/09540261.2019.1677220.
[9]. Melese, B., et al., 2016, “Prevalence of mental distress and associated factors among Hawassa University medical students, Southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study,” BMC research notes, vol. 9, pp. 1–7.
[10]. Rubaba Azim, S., “Mental Distress Among Medical Students,” 2020. Doi: 10.5772/intechopen.91864.
[11]. Kerebih, H., Ajaeb, M., and Weldemariam, H., 2017, “Common mental disorders among medical students in Jimma University, SouthWest Ethiopia,” Afr Health Sci, vol. 17, p. 844, Doi: 10.4314/ahs.v17i3.27.
[12]. Shahnur shah, Laving, A., Okech, V., and Kumar, M., 2021, “Depression and its associated factors: perceived stress, social support, substance use and related sociodemographic risk factors in medical school residents in Nairobi, Kenya,” BMC Psychiatry, vol. 21, Doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03439-0.
[13]. Givens, J. L., and Tjia, J., 2002, “Depressed medical students’ use of mental health services and barriers to use.,” Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Tjia, Jennifer: Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Blockley Hall 1208, Philadelphia, PA, US, 19104, jetjia@mail.med.upenn.edu. Doi: 10.1097/00001888-200209000-00024.
[14]. Luvira, V., Nonjui, P., Butsathon, N., Deenok, P., and Aunruean, W., 2023, “Family Background Issues as Predictors of Mental Health Problems for University Students,” Healthcare, vol. 11, p. 316, Doi: 10.3390/healthcare11030316.
[15]. Ediz, B., Ozcakir, A., and Bilgel, N., 2017, “Depression and anxiety among medical students: Examining scores of the beck depression and anxiety inventory and the depression anxiety and stress scale with student characteristics,” Cogent Psychol, vol. 4, Doi: 10.1080/23311908.2017.1283829.
[16]. Melaku, Y., et al., 2014, “Sexual and reproductive health communication and awareness of contraceptive methods among secondary school female students, northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study,” BMC Public Health, vol. 14, no. 1, p. 252, Doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-252.
[17]. Douwes, R., Metselaar, J., Pijnenborg, G., and Boonstra, N., 2023, “Well-being of students in higher education: The importance of a student perspective,” Cogent Education, vol. 10, Doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2023.2190697.
[18]. Ndetei, D., Khasakhala, L., Mutiso, V., Ongecha-Owuor, F., and Kokonya, D., 2009, “Psychosocial and Health Aspects of Drug Use by Students in Public Secondary Schools in Nairobi, Kenya,” Substance abuse : official publication of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse, vol. 30, pp. 61–68, Doi: 10.1080/08897070802606410.
[19]. Khan, M., Mahmood, S., Badshah, A., Syed, U., and Jamal, Y., 2007, “Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety and their associated factors among medical students in Karachi, Pakistan,” J Pak Med Assoc, vol. 56, pp. 583–586, Doi: 10.1093/aje/163.suppl_11.S220-c.
[20]. Muriungi S., and Menecha, J., 2020, “Comorbidity Of Depression and Anxiety Among Students At The Kenya Medical Training Colleges In Kenya,” Adv Soc Sci Res J, vol. 7, pp. 360–370, Doi: 10.14738/assrj.77.7044.
[21]. Sahu, P., Nayak, S., Rodrigues, V., and Umakanthan, S., 2020, “Prevalence of Psychological Distress among Undergraduate Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study,” Int J Appl Basic Med Res, vol. 10, pp. 270–275, Doi: 10.4103/ijabmr.IJABMR_100_19.
[22]. Ab Latif, R., Mohamed, R., Dahlan, A., and Nor, M., 2016, “Concept Mapping as a Teaching Tool on Critical Thinking Skills and Academic Performance of Diploma Nursing Students,” Education in Medicine Journal, vol. 8, Doi: 10.5959/eimj.v8i1.406.
[23]. Rotenstein, L., et al., 2016, “Prevalence of Depression, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation Among Medical Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” JAMA, vol. 316, p. 2214, Doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.17324.
[24]. Dyrbye, L., et al., 2014, “Burnout Among U.S. Medical Students, Residents, and Early Career Physicians Relative to the General U.S. Population,” Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, vol. 89, Doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000134.
[25]. Brandt C., and Mula, M., 2016, “Anxiety disorders in people with epilepsy,” Epilepsy and Behavior, vol. 59, pp. 87–91, Doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.03.020.
[26]. Eisenberg, D., Gollust, S., Golberstein, E., and Hefner, J., 2007, “Prevalence and Correlates of Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidality Among University Students,” Am J Orthopsychiatry, vol. 77, pp. 534–542, Doi: 10.1037/0002-9432.77.4.534.
[27]. Pulido-Martos, M., Landa, J., and Lopez-Zafra, E., 2012, “Sources of stress in nursing students: A systematic review of quantitative studies,” Int Nurs Rev, vol. 59, pp. 15–25, Doi: 10.1111/j.1466-7657.2011.00939.x.
[28]. Yusoff, M. S. B., and Arifin, W. N., 2015, “Educational environment and psychological distress of medical students: The role of a deep learning approach,” J Taibah Univ Med Sci, vol. 10, Doi: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2015.08.005.
[29]. Gupta, S., Choudhury, S., Das, M., Mondol, A., and Pradhan, R., 2015, “Factors causing stress among students of a Medical College in Kolkata, India,” Educ Health (Abingdon), vol. 28, pp. 92–95, Doi: 10.4103/1357-6283.161924.
[30]. Walton, B., and Rizzolo, D., 2022, “The Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health,” vol. 8, pp. 43–47, Doi: 10.17140/PNNOJ-8-138.
[31]. Stirparo, G., Pireddu, R., D’Angelo, M., Bottignole, D., Mazzoli, R., and Gambolò, L., 2024, “Is Mental Health Worse in Medical Students than in the General Population? A Cross-Sectional Study,” Medicina, vol. 60, no. 6 Doi: 10.3390/medicina60060863.
