ArticleBMJ open2026
Mental health and burnout among Swiss medical students living in contexts of deprivation: a longitudinal study.
Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Abstract
backgroundThe mental health of medical students has been widely discussed, with studies reporting a high prevalence of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and burnout. Yet, few have explored the relationship between material, social and health deprivation and these outcomes in medical students, despite the higher risk of psychological disorders when exposed to precarious living conditions.
objectiveOur study aimed to explore longitudinal associations between experiencing deprivation and mental health outcomes among Swiss medical students while adjusting for protective factors.
designData were collected from hour-long online surveys at two time points (November-December 2022 and November-December 2023) of an open cohort study of medical students from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland (UNIL). Data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression models.
settingThis study was carried out by Lausanne University Hospital (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV)) and the Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, UNIL.
participantsOur sample included medical students enrolled in any year of medical school studies, excluding those enrolled as part of an exchange programme. At time points T3 and T4, there were, respectively, 1941 and 1267 eligible students for participation; the final sample consisted of 631 medical students having participated at both time points (67.5% female, mean age 22.11). PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Deprivation was evaluated with the Deprivation in Primary Care Questionnaire (DIPCare-Q) index. Mental health variables included depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideations and burnout symptoms (emotional exhaustion, cynicism, academic efficacy). Protective factors included coping skills (emotion-focused, problem-focused and help-seeking) and social support (practical and emotional support).
resultsIn our final regression model, controlling for demographics (ie, age, gender, year of study and mother tongue), protective factors and baseline mental health scores, a higher overall baseline deprivation index was predictive of increased depression (β=0.14, p<0.001) and anxiety (β=0.06, p=0.046) symptoms over time, but not for suicidal ideation or burnout symptoms.
conclusionResults demonstrated a significant association between deprivation and mental health longitudinally. Findings suggested that social support was protective from an increase in suicidal ideations over time. The implementation of interventions that provide material and social support may help promote improved mental health and health equity among medical students.
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