‘Mental health issues in 28% of UG & 15% PG medicos’ New Delhi :

 ‘Mental health issues in 28% of UG & 15% PG medicos’ New Delhi : 

An online survey carried out by the National Medical Commission (NMC) has revealed that an alarmingly high 28% of undergraduate (UG) medical students and 15% of postgraduate (PG) medical students have mental health disorders, reports Durgesh Nandan Jha. This includes anxiety and depression. The survey, which was carried out by a task force constituted by the NMC in view of multiple suicides reported among medical students in the recent past, also found that nearly 16% of the UG students and 31% of the PG students reported having had suicidal ideation.

Med students’ stress often goes unrecognised Commission’s Task Force Suggests Change In Doctors’ Duty Hours Total 25,590 UG students, 5,337 PG students, and 7,035 faculty members from medical colleges across the country participated in the online survey. According to the survey report, released by the NMC task force, accessibility of mental health services for students at medical colleges was rated as very or somewhat inaccessible by 3,648 (19%) UG students and the quality of these services was perceived as very poor or poor by 4,808 (19%). 

NMC chairman: Med students’ stress often goes unrecognised Commission’s Task Force Suggests Change In Doctors’ Duty Hours

Among the PG students, the survey results reveal nearly 41% of the respondents felt uncomfortable in seeking help. On examining the landscape of seeking mental health assistance, the experts note, most (44%) students avoided seeking help due to confidentiality concerns, highlighting the pervasive fear of privacy breaches and its deterrent effect on seeking help. 

Stigma was another significant barrier, with 20% respondents expressing apprehension due to societal judgment and misunderstanding of mental health issues. Additionally, 16% of PG students cited unspecified challenges, indicative of various obstacles not explicitly categorised. Furthermore, concerns about the impact on future job prospects (9%) and licencing issues (1%) demonstrate the intricate interplay between mental health-seeking behaviours and professional livelihoods. “If these are the concerns faced by future health care professionals themselves, their potential in influencing patients to seek help becomes a question that needs to be thought through,” the NMC task force says. 

The task force has recommended implementing the Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative of the health ministry in all medical colleges to pro vide a 24/7 support system across the campus. It has also suggested that resident doctors work no more than 74 hours per week, with no more than 24 hours at a stretch. 

The schedule includes one day off per week, one 24-hour duty, and 10-hour shifts for the remaining five days. “Excessive duty hours pose risks to the physical and mental health of medical students and also compromise patient safety,” the task force headed by Dr Suresh Bada Math, a professor of psychiatry at NIMHANS Bangalore, says. Dr B N Gangadhar, the NMC chairman, in his message shared with the report, adds: “…medical students face immense stress and challenges that often go unrecognised. This is a reality we can no longer ignore,” Dr Gangadhar states. Full report on www.toi.in