SELF RATED SYMPTOM MEASURE OF VARIOUS MENTAL HEALTH DOMAINS OF UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS OF TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Introduction: Mental disorders account for nearly 12% of the global burden of disease. They are expected to become the second most important cause of disability in the near future. Medical students remain under great academic pressure to pass internal and external exams which continuously keep them under pressure. It is also very important to know how students feel rather than to treat only those who visit clinicians. Undiagnosed mental disorders adversely affect physical wellbeing too. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the subjective presence of mental health disorder in undergraduate medical student. Materials and Methods: DSM -5 self-rated symptom measure tool was used to detect the presence of mental health domains. Presence of any symptom in level 1 was further assessed by measuring its severity in level 2. Results: Study detected 86% of students had felt disturbed mental health in the past two weeks. Males had a higher number of symptoms than females. Manic symptoms were most common followed by anxiety and depression. Mania and depression were most common in males and females respectively. Symptoms of isolation and dissociation were significantly present in the first year of undergraduate medical students. The statistically significant negative correlation between age and presence of symptoms suggesting as age increase student learns manage academic pressure. Most of the student had none to slight severity in level 2.