AVALIAÇÃO DOS TRANSTORNOS DE ANSIEDADE E USO DE MEDICAMENTOS ENTRE ACADÊMICOS DO CURSO DE MEDICINA DE UMA UNIVERSIDADE DO SUL DE MINAS GERAIS, BRASIL

The levels of anxiety and the use of medication among medical students were evaluated, relating it to sociodemographic data, prescription and medical follow-up, and symptom improvement. Cross-sectional study, in which a semi-structured questionnaire was applied. Among 264 students interviewed, 21% of the total (n = 56) use medication to treat anxiety. Most of them are female, almost half between 21 and 25 years old, single, live alone, and have high family income. These students opted for medical school mainly for professional and personal achievement, and the main drug used is fluoxetine. Yet, among drug users (n = 56), 39% (n = 22) self-medicate, although 64.3% (n = 36) are under medical supervision, more than half have side effects and 87.5% (n = 49) showed improvements in anxiety symptoms after starting use. The use of medication to treat anxiety was statistically related to monthly income, type of housing and reason for choosing the course (p < 0.05), although other variables cannot be ruled out. As noted in the present study, the use of such medications among medical students is considerable and, for the most part, medical follow-up directly influences the improvement of symptoms. In addition, there are risk factors related to the sociodemographic profile, which can lead to anxiety and/or self-medication and the indiscriminate use of medication, so preventive health measures must take these factors into account to guide more effective actions.