"Prevalence of probable depression among medical school students during the COVID-19 pandemic" / Maria Kathrina Mariñas, Denise Gabrielle D. Dela Cruz, Marielle Ruth D. Delluta, Ma. Theresa Angeli M. Estabillo, Mary Lhynnet C. Fernando, Krisha Mae G. Francisco, Abbygale Gabriel, Cedric F. Gaytano, Ma. Ysabella C. Guia, John Carl A. Gutierrez, Mary Joyce M. Hipolito, Gemmuel Isaac B. Holgado, Aoi Ue G. Imperial, Mitzi R. Isobal and Miguel Angelo M. Jaudian.

Includes appendices and bibliographical references.

Abstract: The SARS-COV 19 pandemic's detrimental effects on health have put the general public in a precarious psychological position. All lives were impacted, and medical students are not exempted even though a focus of their studies in public health. Studies using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) have been published on the frequency of depression and anxiety among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to better understand depression in medical students and to ascertain the prevalence of probable depression during the COVID-19 pandemic among medical school students, our study aims to do both. As a result, it will serve as a guide for future research. To determine the prevalence of probable depression among FEU-NRMF medical students during COVID-19. This research is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study's participants are second semester A.Y. medical students at Far Eastern University's Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation who are taking online lecture classes in 2022-2023. Depression-diagnosed students before the pandemic are not allowed to participate in the study. In order to evaluate the medical students at FEU-NRMF, a digital version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) that has been converted into Google forms was used. It has nine items, each of which is scored from 0 to 3, giving it a severity range of 0 to 27. 70 responses in all were tallied. The study group's sociodemographic characteristics showed that 56 (80%) of the respondents were female and 14 (20%) of the respondents were male. Before answering the questionnaire, all 70 responses passed the eligibility test. Out of the total of 70 valid participants, 15.7% and 22.9% were found to be suffering from minimal to mild depression, followed by 25.7% and 27.1% who are going through moderate to moderately severe depression, and 8.6% who are going through severe depression. It was discovered that more than 50% of the participants (61.4%) had probable depression. A high percentage of the medical students in this descriptive cross-sectional study who have probable depression is associated with moderate to severe depression symptoms. The majority of these medical students who are most likely depressed are female.

Thesis - Department of Community & Family Medicine