[Prevalence and factors associated with eating disorders in Peruvian Human Medicine students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicentre study]

Association between love breakup and suicidal ideation in Peruvian medical students: a cross-sectional study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective

We aimed to determine the association between a major romantic breakup and suicidal ideation in medical students from three universities in Peru.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted during the first pandemic wave in 2021 on medical students from three universities in northern Peru. The outcome was suicidal ideation, measured with question nine of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were also used to assess mental health symptoms. The exposure was the experience of a major love breakup during the pandemic. In addition, its association with other covariates (age, sex, family members infected with COVID-19, deceased family members with COVID-19, insomnia, and anxiety, among others) was examined.

Results and discussions

Out of 370 students, 19.5% reported a major love breakup during the pandemic (95%CI: 15.5-23.8), and 34.3% had suicidal ideation (95%CI: 29.4-39.4). Having a major love breakup was associated with a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation (PR: 1.49, 95%CI: 1.32-1.67, p < 0.001). Moderate insomnia (PR: 2.56, 95%CI: 1.70-3.87, p < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (PR: 1.94, 1.10-3.44, p = 0.023) were also associated with suicidal ideation.

Conclusion

Our study provides evidence of a significant association between a major love breakup and suicidal ideation. This finding emphasizes the need for further research to better understand this association and inform the development of effective suicide prevention policies in medical education.

Structure and factorial invariance of a brief version of the Eating Attitudes Test in Peruvian university students

Background

University students often experience significant changes in their eating habits, which can increase the risk of developing eating disorders (ED). This situation calls for the creation of brief assessment tools to identify college students who may be most at risk. The aim of the study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Eating Attitudes Test-8 (EAT-8) in a Peruvian university population; additionally, the possible differences in the scores of the instrument according to sociodemographic variables, such as gender and age, were examined.

Methods

A psychometric study was conducted on 610 participants (M = 24.3, SD = 2.16, and 61.5% female), aged 19 to 31 years, belonging to four universities of different professional careers.

Results

The unidimensional eight-item model was found to have fit indices that confirm acceptable factorial validity (X2/df = 3.23, CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.977, RMSEA = 0.061, SRMR = 0.049) and an internal consistency of 0.833 for the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and 0.838 for the McDonald's omega coefficient. In addition, the EAT-8 was reported to be invariant according to gender and age; likewise, there were no significant differences in the age and gender categories.

Conclusion

The EAT-8 has solid psychometric properties, including validity, reliability, and invariance, in the Peruvian university population, which supports its ability to assess the risk of developing ED in this specific group.

Depression, anxiety, and stress in medical students in Peru: a cross-sectional study

Objective

To determine the prevalence and factors associated with depressive, anxious, and stress symptoms in medical students in Peru, during the second pandemic wave of COVID-19.

Methods

We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study in 405 medical students from a university in northern Peru. The DASS-21 instrument was used to evaluate mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress), and to investigate their association with socio-educational characteristics.

Results

We found a prevalence of depressive, anxious, and stress symptoms of 71.6% (95% CI: 66.94-75.95), 71.9% (95% CI: 67.2-76.2), and 62.7% (95% CI: 57.8-67.4); respectively. Students with eating behavior disorders had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 1.35), anxious symptoms (PR: 1.27), and stress symptoms (PR: 1.31). The prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 1.57), anxious symptoms (PR: 1.27), and stress symptoms (PR: 1.24) increased in students who did not report regular physical activity. In addition, having almost always academic exhaustion increased the prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 1.46), stress symptoms (PR: 1.72). On the contrary, the prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 0.79), anxious symptoms (PR: 0.73) and stress symptoms (PR: 0.82) decreased in male students. Students who reported sleeping 8 or more hours daily had a lower prevalence of stress symptoms (PR: 0.82).

Conclusion

Symptoms of depression and anxiety occurred in 7 out of 10 students, and stress in 6 out of 10. Among the factors associated with the presence of anxiety, depression, and stress were eating behavior disorder and not regularly exercising. Periodic evaluations of mental symptomatology are required and counseling should be promoted in medical schools.

Association between Love Breakup and Suicidal Ideation in Peruvian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective

We aimed to determine the association between a major romantic breakup and suicidal ideation in medical students from three universities in Peru.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted during the first pandemic wave in 2021 on medical students from three universities in northern Peru. The outcome was suicidal ideation, measured with question nine of the PHQ-9. The exposure was the experience of a major love breakup during the pandemic. In addition, its association with other covariates (age, sex, family members infected with COVID-19, deceased family members with COVID-19, insomnia, and anxiety, among others) was examined.

Results and discussions

Out of 370 students, 19.5% reported a major love breakup during the pandemic (95%CI: 15.5-23.8), and 34.3% had suicidal ideation (95%CI: 29.4-39.4). Having a major love breakup was associated with a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation (PR: 1.49, 95%CI: 1.32-1.67). Moderate insomnia (PR: 2.56, 95%CI: 1.70-3.87) and anxiety symptoms (PR: 1.94, 1.10-3.44) were also associated with suicidal ideation.

Conclusion

Our study provides evidence of a significant association between a major love breakup and suicidal ideation. This finding emphasizes the need for further research to better understand this association and inform the development of effective suicide prevention policies in medical education.

Internet addiction and mental health disorders in high school students in a Peruvian region: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To determine the association between internet addiction disorder (IAD) and anxiety and depressive symptomatology in high school students in two private schools in Chiclayo, Peru, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Analytical cross-sectional investigation of 505 adolescents from two private schools. The dependent variables were anxiety and depressive symptomatology, measured with the Beck Adapted Depression Questionnaire (BDI-IIA) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. The main independent variable was IAD, measured with the Internet Addiction Test instrument(IATI). Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated.

RESULTS

The average age was 14.16 years and 54.9% were women. 22.2% and 3.2% presented mild and moderate IAD; respectively. 9.3% presented severe anxiety and 34.3% severe depressive symptomatology. In the simple regression, adolescents with mild, moderate and severe IAD presented 19% (PR = 1.19; 95%CI: 1.05-1.35), 25% (PR = 1.25; 95%CI: 1.02-1.53) and 53% (PR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.47-1.60) higher prevalence of depressive symptomatology; however, this association was not maintained in the multiple model. Anxiety increased 196% in adolescents with severe IAD (PR = 2.96; 95%CI: 1.86-4.71).

CONCLUSION

 We found that 2, 1, and 3 out of 10 students presented IAD, depressive symptomatology, and anxiety, respectively. We did not find an association between IAD and depressive symptomatology, but we did find an association with anxiety. Among the factors associated with the development of depressive symptomatology were the male sex, the presence of eating disorders, subclinical insomnia, using devices for more than 2 h, and using the Internet for academic activities. About anxiety, the associated factors are the female sex, the presence of eating disorders, subclinical insomnia, and the use of the Internet as social interaction. We recommend implementing counseling programs in view of the imminent introduction of the Internet as a pillar in education.