Avaliação da prevalência de sintomas característicos de ansiedade e depressão em estudantes da área de saúde.

Abstract

Anxiety is a normal and frequent situation in the daily life of college students and can become pathological when it presents an intensity or frequency that is disproportionate to the triggering situation. Depression is a state in which the individual has depressed mood and lack of pleasure in previously pleasurable situations. The present study aims to identify the prevalence and classify the levels of anxiety and depression in students of health (Nursing, Pharmacy and Nutrition) courses at the Federal University of Campina Grande, Campus Cuité – PB. This is a cross-sectional research in which 100 students from each course were interviewed, totaling a sample of 300 students. The research instrument used to assess anxious behavior was the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory for the evaluation of depressive symptoms. Females were the most prevalent, representing 71% of the total sample. 81.7% of female participants were prone to anxiety and 74% of men involved in the study were prone to depression. Regarding depression, the Nutrition course presented the largest number of students with a tendency to disorder 69%, followed by the Pharmacy course 68% and Nursing 57%. Among the interviewees with anxiety tendency, the Nursing course showed the largest number of students (n = 80). Self-judgment was the most prevalent symptom of depression, being pointed out by 76.3% of participants and nervousness was the most prevalent symptom of anxiety, reported by 90.3% of respondents. This study serves as a management and prevention alert. It can provide support for early identification strategies, treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation of college students who find in their daily life several predisposing factors for anxiety and depression.