Common mental disorders among health care students

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs) among the population of graduate students in Physical Education, Nursing, Dentistry and Medicine at the University of Pernambuco, as well as to analyze the relationship between CMDs and some characteristics of the teaching-learning process. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the second semester of 2001 involving all students in the second and sixth semesters of each course. A total of 443 students responded to two self-reporting questionnaires: the Self Reporting Questionnaire-SRQ-20 and another questionnaire regarding characteristics of the teaching-learning process. Results: The overall prevalence of CMDs was 34.1% and was significantly higher among students who felt overloaded (OR = 2.67; 95% CI = 1.6-4.5) or reported special situations during childhood and adolescence (OR = 2.55; 95% CI = 1.5-4.4). Conclusion: These findings can serve as the basis for development of programs of disease prevention and student mental health care, as well as collaborating with reflections on the teaching-learning processes in university courses.