The Global Prevalence of Anxiety Among Medical Students: A Meta-Analysis

Travis Tian-Ci Quek, Wilson Wai-San Tam, Bach X. Tran, Min Zhang, Zhisong Zhang, Cyrus Su-Hui Ho and Roger Chun-Man Ho
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Travis Tian-Ci Quek: Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119007, Singapore
Wilson Wai-San Tam: Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119007, Singapore
Bach X. Tran: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Min Zhang: School of Education, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000, China
Zhisong Zhang: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000, China
Cyrus Su-Hui Ho: Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore 119007, Singapore
Roger Chun-Man Ho: Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119007, Singapore

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: Anxiety, although as common and arguably as debilitating as depression, has garnered less attention, and is often undetected and undertreated in the general population. Similarly, anxiety among medical students warrants greater attention due to its significant implications. We aimed to study the global prevalence of anxiety among medical students and the associated factors predisposing medical students to anxiety. In February 2019, we carried out a systematic search for cross-sectional studies that examined the prevalence of anxiety among medical students. We computed the aggregate prevalence and pooled odds ratio (OR) using the random-effects model and used meta-regression analyses to explore the sources of heterogeneity. We pooled and analyzed data from sixty-nine studies comprising 40,348 medical students. The global prevalence rate of anxiety among medical students was 33.8% (95% Confidence Interval: 29.2–38.7%). Anxiety was most prevalent among medical students from the Middle East and Asia. Subgroup analyses by gender and year of study found no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of anxiety. About one in three medical students globally have anxiety—a prevalence rate which is substantially higher than the general population. Administrators and leaders of medical schools should take the lead in destigmatizing mental illnesses and promoting help-seeking behaviors when students are stressed and anxious. Further research is needed to identify risk factors of anxiety unique to medical students.

Keywords: anxiety; anxious; medical students; student doctors; medical school; medical education; prevalence; meta-analysis; review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (28)

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