Depressive Symptoms among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence and Sociodemographic Determinants in Ghana

Depression is a global public health burden and affects all populations, especially students. Several studies worldwide have indicated depression among medical students as a significant concern, often leading to adverse effects on their quality of life, training and future practice. As part of academic and clinical training, medical students are usually exposed to daily academic and clinical demands significantly associated with depressive symptoms. In Ghana, where mental health is less prioritised and stigmatised, many citizens, including students, suffer without support. This study aimed at identifying the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated demographic factors among medical students using a public university’s medical school in Ghana. We selected two hundred thirty-two participants and screened them with the Beck Depression Inventory. The participants were across all the six year-levels of the medical school. The results showed that about 30 % of the students experience moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Also, female medical students experienced significantly higher depressive symptoms (M = 18.69) than male medical students (M = 12.82). Furthermore, students under 25 years of age experienced higher levels of depressive symptoms (M = 16.49) than those 25 years and above (M = 9.52). Besides, fee-paying medical students experienced higher depressive symptoms (M = 16.28) than regular students (M = 11.69). In conclusion, the prevalence of depressive symptoms screened among the medical students in our study was quite alarming. Thus, there is an urgent need to implement various mental health promotion interventions, policies, and stakeholder engagements to address depression among medical students in Ghana. Our findings have implications for research, medical training, and policy. © 2023 by Cherkas Global University All rights reserved.