Prevalence of common mental disorders among medical students

Introduction: during medical training and practice, stress is a possible etiological factor of current mental health problems among medical students. In general, scientific studies have shown significant prevalence of psychiatric symptoms and common mental disorders among medical students, many of them triggered by daily academic overload. Objective: the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD) and psychological distress among medical students at Padre Albino University Center, Catanduva-SP. Method: a cross-sectional study was conducted with 114 students of the course. For CMD screening, the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20), a self-administered questionnaire, was used. Results: the total prevalence of CMD was 61.4%, which is very high when compared to the general population. Conclusion: This demonstrates the importance and need to develop actions for prevention and care with the mental health of students, improving their quality of life.