Depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, and the use of medicinal plants by nursing students.

Objective: to verify the presence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among nursing students related to the use of medicinal plants.

Method: cross-sectional study carried out virtually in January and November 2023, with undergraduate nursing students from a public university in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Descriptive statistical analysis, calculation of mean and standard deviation, and independent T-test were used for comparison between groups.

Results: 73 students participated, reporting severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression (35.6%), anxiety (42.4%), and stress (36.9%). The majority (56.2%) used medicinal plants, the most common being: chamomile, lemon grass, mint, boldo, aloe, and fennel, mainly for calming/relaxing effects, anxiety, flu/cold, and stress. Consumer students reported improvement in the symptoms for which they sought to use the plants, planting them in their own backyard, however they used them empirically.

Conclusion: the study showed a wide use of medicinal plants among nursing students. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were more present among students who used medicinal plants and among those enrolled in the initial periods (1st to 5th). The difference between groups was statistically significant for stress, considering the period studied.