Comprehension Level on Depression among Tarumanagara Medical Students Class of 2024
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- Abstract
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Background: Depression is a mental disorder characterized by mood disturbances, feelings of guilt, impaired concentration, and changes in sleep patterns, appetite, and physical condition such as fatigue. According to the World Health Organization (2023), approximately 280 million individuals (3.8% of the global population) are affected by depression, and the misconception that depression results solely from mental weakness remains common in society. Higher mental health literacy among students has been associated with a better understanding of the risk factors and prevention of psychological disorders. This study aims to describe the distribution of knowledge levels regarding depression among medical students of the class of 2024 at Tarumanagara University. Method: This research employed a descriptive cross-sectional design involving 157 medical students of the class of 2024 at Tarumanagara University, selected using a total sampling technique, using a questionnaire adapted and validated from the previous study. Results: The results showed that most respondents fell into the moderate understanding category (54.8%), followed by low (31.8%), and high (13.4%) categories. The highest level of understanding was found in the aspect of causes of major depression (92.4%), while the aspect of depression management was the least understood (65.6%). Based on gender, the moderate understanding category was found in a similar proportion between female (54.5%) and male respondents (55.9%). The 18-year-old age group was the most dominant in the moderate understanding category (53.9%). Conclusion: Most medical students of the class of 2024 had a moderate level of understanding of depression, with the strongest aspect being the causes of depression and the weakest being its management. The numerical predominance of female respondents across comprehension categories reflects the higher proportion of female participants in the sample rather than a true sex-based difference in understanding.
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