Comparison of depression and anxiety in first- versus non-first generation Saudi medical students: A cross-sectional study.

Depression and anxiety are prevalent psychiatric illnesses worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of these illnesses and their associated sociodemographic factors among medical students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by comparing first- and non-first-generation students. This cross-sectional study included 367 participants. The study tool, distributed in December 2023, consisted of a questionnaire developed by the research team to assess sociodemographic factors, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item scale (GAD-7). Among the participants, 33.5% had a first-degree relative who attended medical school. The mean GAD-7 score was 8.30 for first-generation students and 7.48 for non-first-generation students, suggesting a trend toward higher anxiety in first-generation students, although the differences between the 2 groups were not statistically significant (P = .170). The mean PHQ-9 score was 9.54 for first-generation and 8.10 for non-first-generation students (P = .042). Women had significantly higher mean scores than men on both the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 (P=<.001). First- and third-year students had the highest mean scores on both the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 (P < .001). A statistically significant (P < .001) association was observed between anxiety and depression. Future research should focus on identifying, developing, and examining interventions that target at-risk groups of medical students. Multicenter studies with more rigorous research methodologies are warranted to validate these results.

Mental Illnesses and Quality of Sleep Among Nurses Working at a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives This study primarily aimed to estimate the prevalence of mental illnesses (depression, anxiety, and stress) along with the poor quality of sleep, with a secondary focus on determining whether there was an association between mental health and quality of sleep among nurses working at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic on 309 nurses from different departments at King Khalid University Hospital. Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21), and sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) via an online survey. Results The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 30.4%, 43.7%, and 16.5%, respectively, while 61.5% showed poor sleep quality. The association between poor quality of sleep and the other outcome variables of mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress) was highly significant (p<0.0001). Conclusion Nurses have reported an increased prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and poor quality of sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic, making them particularly vulnerable to mental illnesses and sleep difficulties in the event of future pandemics. There is a clear link between mental health issues and poor quality of sleep, necessitating the provision of psychological support for nurses. Enhancing sleep quality is recommended as a way to decrease the prevalence of mental health concerns.