Depression, anxiety, stress and associated factors among pharmacy students in Can Tho Medical College

Abstract

Objectives: to assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress, and to explore associated factors among pharmacy students at Can Tho Medical College in 2024. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 999 pharmacy college students using the DASS-21 questionnaire via an online survey. Results: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among students was 54.4%, 74.4%, and 60.7%, respectively. The years of training programme, satisfaction with appearance, ease of forming new friendships, presence of close friendships, history of anxiety and depression, daily smartphone usage hours, and the most time-consuming smartphone activities were identified as being related to depression, anxiety, and stress among students. Conclusion: Depression, anxiety, and stress among phamacy students are significant mental health issues that require attention. There is a need to implement positive teaching methods and develop extracurricular clubs to enhance social relationships, cohesion, and soft skills among students.