Mental Well-Being in First Year Medical Students: A Comparison by Race and Gender: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study

Rachel R. Hardeman; Julia M. Przedworski; Sara E. Burke; Diana J. Burgess; Sean M. Phelan; John F. Dovidio; Dave Nelson; Todd Rockwood; Michelle van Ryn

doi:10.1007/s40615-015-0087-x

Mental Well-Being in First Year Medical Students: A Comparison by Race and Gender: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study

Rachel R. Hardeman
, Julia M. Przedworski
, Sara E. Burke
, Diana J. Burgess
, Sean M. Phelan
, John F. Dovidio
, Dave Nelson
, Todd Rockwood
, Michelle van Ryn

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

90 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: In this study, authors sought to characterize race and gender disparities in mental health in a national sample of first year medical students early in their medical school experience.

METHOD: This study used cross-sectional baseline data of Medical Student CHANGES, a large national longitudinal study of a cohort of medical students surveyed in the winter of 2010. Authors ascertained respondents via the American Association of Medical Colleges questionnaire, a third-party vendor-compiled list, and referral sampling.

RESULTS: A total of 4732 first year medical students completed the baseline survey; of these, 301 were African American and 2890 were White. Compared to White students and after adjusting for relevant covariates, African American students had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (relative risk (RR)=1.59 [95 % confidence interval, 1.37-2.40]) and anxiety symptoms (RR=1.66 [1.08-2.71]). Women also had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (RR=1.36 [1.07-1.63]) and anxiety symptoms (RR-1.95 [1.39-2.84]).

CONCLUSIONS: At the start of their first year of medical school, African American and female medical students were at a higher risk for depressive symptoms and anxiety than their White and male counterparts, respectively. The findings of this study have practical implications as poor mental and overall health inhibit learning and success in medical school, and physician distress negatively affects quality of clinical care.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	403-413
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
Volume	2
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-015-0087-x
State	Published - Sep 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Dr. Hardeman acknowledges the support of the Veterans Affairs Associated Health Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program

Funders	Funder number
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Division of Health Care Policy and Research, Mayo Clinic	K01 DK095924, R25 CA163184
Author National Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health The Bev Hartig Huntington's Disease Foundation National Institutes of Health	R01 HL085631
National Institute of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institute of Health-National Cancer Institute	T32CA163184

Keywords

Anxiety
Depression
Gender
Medical students
Race

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
Anthropology
Sociology and Political Science
Health Policy
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Access to Document

10.1007/s40615-015-0087-x

Cite this

Hardeman, R. R., Przedworski, J. M., Burke, S. E., Burgess, D. J., Phelan, S. M., Dovidio, J. F., Nelson, D., Rockwood, T., & van Ryn, M. (2015). Mental Well-Being in First Year Medical Students: A Comparison by Race and Gender: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2(3), 403-413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-015-0087-x

Hardeman, RR, Przedworski, JM, Burke, SE, Burgess, DJ, Phelan, SM, Dovidio, JF, Nelson, D, Rockwood, T & van Ryn, M 2015, 'Mental Well-Being in First Year Medical Students: A Comparison by Race and Gender: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study', Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 403-413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-015-0087-x

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abstract = "PURPOSE: In this study, authors sought to characterize race and gender disparities in mental health in a national sample of first year medical students early in their medical school experience.METHOD: This study used cross-sectional baseline data of Medical Student CHANGES, a large national longitudinal study of a cohort of medical students surveyed in the winter of 2010. Authors ascertained respondents via the American Association of Medical Colleges questionnaire, a third-party vendor-compiled list, and referral sampling.RESULTS: A total of 4732 first year medical students completed the baseline survey; of these, 301 were African American and 2890 were White. Compared to White students and after adjusting for relevant covariates, African American students had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (relative risk (RR)=1.59 [95 \% confidence interval, 1.37-2.40]) and anxiety symptoms (RR=1.66 [1.08-2.71]). Women also had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (RR=1.36 [1.07-1.63]) and anxiety symptoms (RR-1.95 [1.39-2.84]).CONCLUSIONS: At the start of their first year of medical school, African American and female medical students were at a higher risk for depressive symptoms and anxiety than their White and male counterparts, respectively. The findings of this study have practical implications as poor mental and overall health inhibit learning and success in medical school, and physician distress negatively affects quality of clinical care.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Depression, Gender, Medical students, Race",

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doi = "10.1007/s40615-015-0087-x",

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AU - Burgess, Diana J.

AU - Phelan, Sean M.

AU - Dovidio, John F.

AU - Nelson, Dave

AU - Rockwood, Todd

AU - van Ryn, Michelle

N1 - Funding Information: Dr. Hardeman acknowledges the support of the Veterans Affairs Associated Health Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program

PY - 2015/9/1

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N2 - PURPOSE: In this study, authors sought to characterize race and gender disparities in mental health in a national sample of first year medical students early in their medical school experience.METHOD: This study used cross-sectional baseline data of Medical Student CHANGES, a large national longitudinal study of a cohort of medical students surveyed in the winter of 2010. Authors ascertained respondents via the American Association of Medical Colleges questionnaire, a third-party vendor-compiled list, and referral sampling.RESULTS: A total of 4732 first year medical students completed the baseline survey; of these, 301 were African American and 2890 were White. Compared to White students and after adjusting for relevant covariates, African American students had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (relative risk (RR)=1.59 [95 % confidence interval, 1.37-2.40]) and anxiety symptoms (RR=1.66 [1.08-2.71]). Women also had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (RR=1.36 [1.07-1.63]) and anxiety symptoms (RR-1.95 [1.39-2.84]).CONCLUSIONS: At the start of their first year of medical school, African American and female medical students were at a higher risk for depressive symptoms and anxiety than their White and male counterparts, respectively. The findings of this study have practical implications as poor mental and overall health inhibit learning and success in medical school, and physician distress negatively affects quality of clinical care.

AB - PURPOSE: In this study, authors sought to characterize race and gender disparities in mental health in a national sample of first year medical students early in their medical school experience.METHOD: This study used cross-sectional baseline data of Medical Student CHANGES, a large national longitudinal study of a cohort of medical students surveyed in the winter of 2010. Authors ascertained respondents via the American Association of Medical Colleges questionnaire, a third-party vendor-compiled list, and referral sampling.RESULTS: A total of 4732 first year medical students completed the baseline survey; of these, 301 were African American and 2890 were White. Compared to White students and after adjusting for relevant covariates, African American students had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (relative risk (RR)=1.59 [95 % confidence interval, 1.37-2.40]) and anxiety symptoms (RR=1.66 [1.08-2.71]). Women also had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (RR=1.36 [1.07-1.63]) and anxiety symptoms (RR-1.95 [1.39-2.84]).CONCLUSIONS: At the start of their first year of medical school, African American and female medical students were at a higher risk for depressive symptoms and anxiety than their White and male counterparts, respectively. The findings of this study have practical implications as poor mental and overall health inhibit learning and success in medical school, and physician distress negatively affects quality of clinical care.

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KW - Depression

KW - Gender

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Mental Well-Being in First Year Medical Students: A Comparison by Race and Gender: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study

Abstract

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Keywords

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