Prevalence And Factors Associated With Depression Among Medical Students In Africa; A Systematic Review Study

Abstract Background: Depression in its severe form can lead to suicide. In Africa, a couple of studies have been carried to evaluate depression in medical students. These studies have provided variable findings on the prevalence of depression in medical students and associated factors. Given the considerable variability and somewhat controversial findings in the different studies, there is a need for a systematic review study to critically appraise the existing literature.Methods: This was a systematic review of studies published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2019 in the selected databases. We used Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) combining relevant keywords to search the databases.Results: Data was extracted from 4 studies included in this review involving a total number of 1848 medical students. The prevalence of depressive symptoms range from 23.3 to 76.5% and major depression was reported in 15.6% and 30.6% of participants in 2 studies. Female gender and being a student in higher level of studies were significantly associated with depression in all included studies. Other factors associated with higher levels of depression included smoking, alcohol consumption, being unmarried, major life events, presence of other mental health condition and the presence of chronic medical condition.Conclusion: Despite paucity of research on depression among medical students in Africa, this review shows that depressive symptoms are common and associated with a number of socioeconomic factors. Being a female student and/or higher level of medical education is associated with depression. There is need for more robust studies to evaluate the impact of depression on medical students.