Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28876408›Full record

SynthesisRevista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999)

Mental health problems among medical students in Brazil: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

João P Pacheco, Henrique T Giacomin, Wilson W Tam, Tássia B Ribeiro, Claudia Arab, Italla M Bezerra, Gustavo C Pinasco

3 registry-linked trialsOpen access · diamondAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Revista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999). The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 146 papers, 14 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
146citing papers in PubMed, 14 pooled it
54.2field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04069182 naunknown statusnot on this map

Behavioral Activation Therapy for Medical Students With Symptoms of Depression in Two Cities of Mexico

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad Autonoma de Baja CaliforniaRan2019 to 2020Enrolled40ConditionsDepression, AnxietyArmsBehavioral Activation Therapy
NCT06419868 naunknown statusnot on this map

Acceptability and Feasibility of a Universal Preventive Intervention for Depression and Anxiety in University Students

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad de los Andes, ChileRan2024 to 2025Enrolled272ConditionsDepression/AnxietyArms"Universal preventive intervention for depression and anxiety for university students"
NCT07001202 nanot yet recruitingnot on this map

Acceptability and Feasibility of a Preventive Indicated Intervention for Suicidality in University Students: Reframe-IT+U

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad de los Andes, ChileRan2025 to 2025Enrolled20ConditionsSuicidal Ideation, Depression Disorders, AnxietyArmsIndicated Prevention for suicidality
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

146 citing papers in PubMed, 14 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 539 citations in OpenAlex.

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  18. Mental Health Matters: A Multi-Institution Study on the Mental Health of Undergraduate Dental Students.European journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe · 2026
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86 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

João P PachecoFaculdade de Medicina, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Henrique T GiacominFaculdade de Medicina, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Wilson W TamAlice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Tássia B RibeiroFaculdade de Medicina, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Claudia ArabDepartamento de Cardiologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Italla M BezerraFaculdade de Medicina, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Gustavo C PinascoFaculdade de Medicina, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória · BRNational University of Singapore · SGUniversidade Federal de São Paulo · BR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo provide a comprehensive picture of mental health problems (MHPs) in Brazilian medical students by documenting their prevalence and association with co-factors.

methodsWe systematically searched the MEDLINE/PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, and PsycINFO databases for cross-sectional studies on the prevalence of MHPs among medical students in Brazil published before September 29, 2016. We pooled prevalences using a random-effects meta-analysis, and summarized factors associated with MHP.

resultsWe included 59 studies in the analysis. For meta-analyses, we identified the summary prevalence of different MHPs, including depression (25 studies, prevalence 30.6%), common mental disorders (13 studies, prevalence 31.5%), burnout (three studies, prevalence 13.1%), problematic alcohol use (three studies, prevalence 32.9%), stress (six studies, prevalence 49.9%), low sleep quality (four studies, prevalence 51.5%), excessive daytime sleepiness (four studies, prevalence 46.1%), and anxiety (six studies, prevalence 32.9%). Signs of lack of motivation, emotional support, and academic overload correlated with MHPs.

conclusionSeveral MHPs are highly prevalent among future physicians in Brazil. Evidence-based interventions and psychosocial support are needed to promote mental health among Brazilian medical students.

Indexed as

Anxiety DisordersBrazilBurnout, ProfessionalDepressive DisorderHumansMental HealthPrevalenceStudents, Medical

Identifiers

PMID28876408
PMCPMC7111407
OpenAlexW2753651532

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.