A CROSS-SECTIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DEPRESSION LEVELS AMONG FINAL-YEAR MBBS STUDENTS VS FINAL-YEAR DPT STUDENTS

Abstract

Background: Psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and stress, is a significant concern among healthcare students. Academic workload, clinical responsibilities, examination pressure, and uncertainty about future careers may affect students’ psychological well-being, particularly during their final year of professional education.

Objective: To compare the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among final-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students and final-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students in Quetta, Pakistan.

Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among 120 final-year students, comprising 60 MBBS and 60 DPT students. Participants were recruited through non-probability purposive sampling from selected educational institutions in Quetta. Data were collected using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. Independent-samples t-tests were used to compare the reported group values, with statistical significance set at p<0.05.

Results: DPT students demonstrated higher reported mean values for depression (2.72±1.37) than MBBS students (1.98±1.26), with a statistically significant difference (t=-3.06, p=0.003, d=0.56). Similarly, the reported anxiety value was higher among DPT students (3.13±1.65) than MBBS students (2.55±1.53; t=-2.01, p=0.047, d=0.37). Stress values were also higher among DPT students (2.58±1.53) compared with MBBS students (1.87±1.24; t=-2.82, p=0.006, d=0.51).

Conclusion: The study found higher reported levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among final-year DPT students compared with final-year MBBS students. These findings highlight the importance of accessible psychological support, counselling, and stress-management initiatives in healthcare educational institutions.