Psychosocial factors associated with anxiety and depression in health students in Mexico and Chile

Abstract

Objective: To identify psychosocial risk factors associated with the level of anxiety and depression in health sciences students from Mexico and Chile.

Materials and methods: Correlational cross-sectional study carried out between March 2023 and March 2024, with a convenience sample of 202 students from three institutions (two from Mexico (n=146) and one from Chile (n=46)). A self-administered digital questionnaire was applied that included a sociodemographic and psychosocial card, the Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventory. Statistical analysis, with non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U, Kendall tau-b correlation), was performed in SPSS V.27.

Results: It was observed that a previous diagnosis, current treatment, the perception that mental health affects day-to-day life and that professional practice negatively impacts mental health were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety (p ≤ 0.001). Chilean students had higher levels of depression than Mexicans (p < 0.001, r = 0.28), and women had greater anxiety than men (p = 0.014, r = 0.17). The correlation between anxiety and depression was moderate (τ = 0.486, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The psychosocial factors identified, such as clinical history and negative perception of the impact on daily life, are significantly associated with anxious and depressive symptomatology. These findings indicate that it is necessary to implement strategies for early detection and contextualized psychological support in higher education institutions for this group of students.

Keyword: Mental Health; Students; Health Occupations; Anxiety; Depression.