Evaluation of depression and anxiety, and their relationship with insomnia, nightmare and demographic variables in medical students

Abstract

Introduction

Researches showed comorbidity of sleep disorders and mental disorders.

Objectives and aims

The current study aimed to evaluate depression and anxiety and their relationship with insomnia, nightmare and demographic variables in the medical students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 2015.

Method

The study population included 253 medical students with the age range of 18–35 years. Data were gathered using Beck depression inventory, Kettle anxiety, and insomnia and nightmare questionnaires and were analyzed by proper statistical methods.

Results

Among the participants, 126 (49.6%) subjects had depression and 108 (42.5%) anxiety. The prevalence of depression and anxiety among the subjects with lower family income was significantly higher (Chi² = 6.75, P = 0.03 for depression and Х² = 27.99, P < 0.05 for anxiety). There was a close relationship between depression with sleep-onset difficulty, difficulty in awakening and daily sleep attacks, and also between anxiety with sleep-onset difficulty and daily tiredness (P < 0.05). In addition, there was a close relationship between depression and anxiety with nightmare; 16.2% of the subjects with depression and 26.5% of the ones with anxiety experienced nightmares.

Conclusion

Results showed a relationship between nightmare, insomnia and level of family income with increasing depression and anxiety in the medical students; hence, due to the importance of medicine in human life, it is necessary to evaluate the mental health of medical students, identify and solve the relative problems such as anxiety, depression and related symptoms such as insomnia and nightmare in them.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.