Depression, stigma and prejudice: what do medical students think?

Abstract: Introduction: Depression is a serious public health problem, and Brazil is the country with the highest number of cases in Latin America. However, this panorama needs to be further problematized in the field of medical education, in order to stimulate the effective confrontation of the factors that impact the mental health of students. Objective: The objective of this study was to know the perception of medical students about depression, with emphasis on the stigma and prejudice associated with the theme. Method: This is an observational, descriptive and quantitative study, carried out using a questionnaire in an online format. The study had prior approval from the Research Ethics Committee, and counted on the participation of 131 medical students, enrolled in the basic, clinical and internship cycles. Result: Most students defined depression as a disease (99.2%). Of the total, only seven (5.3%) classified their knowledge about the theme as excellent, even though most had contact with the theme during undergraduate studies, especially in the first and third years. High agreement was also observed with statements related to the prejudice, stigma, and discrimination attributed to people suffering from depression, as well as the interference of these factors in the search for professional help. Moreover, depression was considered a neglected condition in the academic environment, which is expressed in the difficulty of sharing the problems faced by students, especially with professors and classmates. Conclusion: The students’ perception demonstrates that the stigma and prejudice related to depression are reflected in the context of medical education, with a need for interventions that favor a more welcoming environment for students who face problems of this nature.