Comparison of prevalence of psychological morbidity between a public and a Private Medical College in Mirpur Azad Kashmir.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the prevalence of depression and anxiety between a public sector and a private medical college and assess the psychological health of medical students in general. Study Design: Cross-sectional Comparative study. Setting: Private and a Public Sector Medical College in Mirpur- Azad Kashmir. Period: January, 2020 - September 2020. Material & Methods: Total 434 students (217 from each college) of first year to final year MBBS were enrolled in the study after written informed consent. PHQ-9 questionnaire was used for screening depression and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) for anxiety. Students were classified as having minimal, mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe depression and for Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, as having mild to moderate and moderate to severe anxiety. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22. Frequency tables representing demographic profile of medical students were drawn. Results: Overall prevalence of depression was 62%. 29.4 % from public and 20.3% from private sector medical college’s students suffered from moderate to severe depression while 26.7% students from private sector and 20.7 % from public sector suffered from moderate to severe form of anxiety. Cross-tabulation results indicated that indicators of depression and anxiety were more commonly reported by the students of public medical college in comparison to the private medical college students. Conclusion: Significant psychological morbidity is experienced by medical students and its prevalence is higher in private sector medical college.