ArticleBMC medical education2025
Prevalence of depression among medical students across the Arab region: a scoping review.
Article in BMC medical education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students in Pakistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2026Pooled it
- Validation of the Arabic Version of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in Omani and Yemeni Patients With Chronic Physical Diseases.International journal of methods in psychiatric research · 2026Article
- Mental well-being and depression among university students in Palestine under the war.BMC psychology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDepression among medical students is a significant mental health challenge globally, with increased prevalence rate in the Arab region.
aimTo systematically review the prevalence and risk factors for depression among medical students in the Arab region.
methodA systematic search of databases (PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO) and grey literature identified 16 observational cross-sectional studies conducted between 2019 and 2024.
resultsThe studies included data from 9,243 participants, with a depression prevalence rate ranging from 40% in Palestine to 77.9% in Sudan. Risk factors associated with depression were grouped into five categories: sociodemographic, social and family dynamics, academic, behavioral, and lifestyle, and health and mental health history. To illustrate, younger age, female gender, and preclinical years of medical school are associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms. Social challenges, such as living apart from family and lacking adequate social support, were risk factors for psychological distress. Furthermore, academic pressure and uncertainty increase the possibility of having depressive symptoms. Maladaptive coping mechanisms such as substance abuse and excessive screen time, further exacerbate the condition.
conclusionThis review underscores the critical need for tailored mental health strategies in Arab medical schools. Interventions should address stigma, enhance social and academic support, and include culturally relevant stress management and resilience-building programs. Future research should explore the impact of socio-political instability and evaluate interventions tailored to collectivist cultural norms.
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