Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety among Student Pharmacists

Abstract

Objective. To quantify the presence of depression and anxiety among student pharmacists. Secondary objectives were to identify student subgroups who reported these symptoms most and quantify use of university counseling services. Methods. This was a single center, cross-sectional survey among 474 student pharmacists. An anonymous and voluntary electronic survey containing the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9, for depression) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) item was administered to student pharmacists over a three-week period in fall 2018. Data were analyzed descriptively and via t-test and ANOVA as appropriate. Results. Fifty-four percent of students (255/474) completed the study. The majority were white females 22 to 25 years of age. 40% reported moderate to severe depression and 41% reported moderate to severe anxiety. Though not statistically significant, female students reported more anxiety than males; mean GAD7 scores were 8.93 and 7.86, respectively. Also, older students (>30 years of age) reported less anxiety, however, these differences were not statistically significant. Only 14 student pharmacists visited the University Counseling Center during the 2017-2018 academic year. Conclusion. The findings suggest a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among student pharmacists and highlight the need to understand further the mental health challenges students face in a doctoral degree program.