Prevalence of anxiety symptoms among medical residents: a cross-sectional studyBackground: Anxiety is a common emotional response to stress, but persistent symptoms may indicate an anxiety disorder. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety symptoms among medical residents in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
Material and methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2021, involving 219 medical residents from various hospitals. Respondents provided informed consent and completed a virtual questionnaire with sociodemographic questions and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Data were analyzed using the Chi-squared test.
Results: Among the 219 medical residents, 66.2% were women, and the prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 48.9%. First-year (50.8%), second-year (48.0%), and third-year (50.0%) residents showed the highest likelihood of experiencing anxiety symptoms. Internal Medicine had the highest specialty-specific prevalence. Factors such as hours of sleep, alcohol consumption, smoking, and illicit substance use were examined; however, none, except for gender, were statistically significant.
Conclusions: The high prevalence of anxiety symptoms among medical residents is a significant concern, highlighting the need for further investigation and the development of psychological interventions to support mental health and ensure the well-being of healthcare professionals and patients.
Keywords:
Mental health; stress; psychological interventions; medical internship and residency; Dominican Republic