You have no items in your shopping cart.
ABSTRACT
Background: Mental health is a state of well-being that enables individuals to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, work productively, and contribute to their community. Globally, mental health problems afflict millions of people.1 Young and old from all economic and educational levels, diverse ethnic groups, and religious backgrounds are having to deal with distressing symptoms. The mental health of medical students has become an increasingly important public health challenge of concern worldwide. Medical education is known for its rigorous demands, including long hours of study, high academic expectations, and explore to human suffering, and in Nigeria a very long stay in school due to strikes. These challenges can significantly impact the mental health of medical students, potentially leading to an increased risk of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, burnout, and suicidal ideation. Objective: This study was aimed to assess the mental health status of medical students at the University of Benin inorder to empower medical students and student -led organizations with adequate information to advocate for improved mental health resources and aid the development of interventions to enhance their coping skills and overall mental wellbeing. Method: This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out among 412 participants (medical students) using a stratified sampling technique. Data was obtained using a structured selfadministered questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS 27.0. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done. Results: The mean age of respondents was 22.63+-3.541. 59% of the participants (412) has some form of mental distress according to the GHQ-12 questionnaire with severe mental distress coming in at 13%. The class with the highest level of average mental distress was 300 level (15.54)while the 400 level class had the lowest average mental distress (10.97)The most utilized coping strategy was "learning to live with the stress"(90.5%) while "use of Alcohol and other drugs" came in as the least used (10.9%). The highest contributor to participant stress was "Examinations". Most participants (71.6%) were still willing to practice after graduation. Conclusion/Recommendation: The level of mental health distress was high with severe mental distress coming in at above 10%. Most students were learning to live with the stressor rather than doing something to address the stressor. Most were still willing to practice. It is encouraged that the college of medicine carry out regular mental health screening programs in order to identify mental distress early for more effective interventions Keywords: Mental health status, coping strategy, Stressors, willingness.
