ArticleBMJ open2020
Comparing mental distress and help-seeking among first-year medical students in Norway: results of two cross-sectional surveys 20 years apart.
Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Scalable prediction of suicidal risk in university students: a three steps machine learning approach in university settings.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Medical students admitted solely by grade point average show a narrow but highly prosocial personality profile.BMC medical education · 2026Observational
- The associations between coping resources and help-seeking intention in a sample of Chinese first-year medical students: mediation effects of coping strategies.BMC public health · 2025Article
- A Comparative, Individual Values-Based Scoring Approach to the Secure Flourish Index Among Clinical Health Professions Students.Medical science educator · 2025Article
- Social support as a mediator between life events and non-suicidal self-injury: evidence for urban-rural moderation in medical students.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Clinical virtual simulation: predictors of user acceptance in nursing education.BMC medical education · 2024Observational
- Article
- Professional help-seeking behaviour for mental health problems among veterinarians in Norway: a nationwide, cross-sectional study (The NORVET study).BMC public health · 2022Article
- Article
- The association between stigmatizing attitudes towards depression and help seeking attitudes in college students.PloS one · 2022Article
- Predictors of help-seeking behaviour in people with mental health problems: a 3-year prospective community study.BMC psychiatry · 2021Article
- Quality of life and fear of COVID-19 in 2600 baccalaureate nursing students at five universities: a cross-sectional study.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2021Article
- A machine learning approach for predicting suicidal thoughts and behaviours among college students.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Psychological Distress and Use of Psychotropic Drugs Among University Students-the SHoT Study, Norway.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo investigate any changes in mental distress levels over 20 years among medical students, as well as the clinical importance of these changes.
designTwo cross-sectional surveys 20 years apart.
settingThe surveys were performed at two Norwegian medical faculties in 1993 and 2015.
participantsOne hundred and seventy-four first-year medical students in 1993 were compared with 169 students in 2015.
main outcome measuresMental distress (Hopkins Symptom Checklist 5) and Mental Health Problems in Need of Treatment.
resultsMental distress increased from 1993 to 2015 (p<0.001) due to a larger increase among female students, which seemed to be of clinical importance (Cohen's
conclusionsWe found a significant increase in mental distress among female medical students over the past 20 years, but also a promising increase in help-seeking among those in need of treatment. The strong and important association between low social support and mental distress should urge both universities and students to maintain students' social life after entering medical school.
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