ArticleFrontiers in psychology2026
Mental health burden and service barriers among medical and health sciences students: prevalence and determinants from a cross-sectional analysis.
Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Is simulation always a safe learning environment? Anxiety and social anxiety symptoms in first-year medical students during simulated patient encounters.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Perceived social support and academic life satisfaction among medical students: the mediating role of academic procrastination.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Background: Medical and health sciences students face significant academic, clinical, and social pressures that increase their risk of psychological distress. Prior studies report elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in this group. Barriers to accessing mental health services such as stigma, confidentiality concerns, limited awareness, and fear of negative consequences further compound this risk. Understanding the prevalence, determinants, and service barriers is essential for developing effective support systems. Aim: To determine the prevalence and determinants of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical and health sciences students at Batterjee Medical College, Saudi Arabia, and to identify barriers limiting their access to mental health services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 students using a self-administered online survey. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) assessed psychological distress, while the Barriers to Mental Health Services Scale-Revised (BMHSS-R) measured perceived obstacles to seeking help. Data were analyzed to identify prevalence, associated demographic and academic factors, and barriers to mental health service utilization. Results: Depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS) were evaluated using validated DASS-21 subscales demonstrating excellent internal consistency ( Conclusion: The study found a high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical and health sciences students, with demographic and academic characteristics emerging as significant correlates. Intrinsic barriers, such as stigma and self-reliance, and extrinsic barriers, including accessibility and cost, further limited help-seeking and compounded psychological distress. These findings emphasize the need for comprehensive institutional mental health strategies and longitudinal research to enhance student wellbeing.
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