Anxiety and depression in medical interns at a public university in Mexico City

*Corresponding author: Alejandro Alonso Altamirano. Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0. Anxiety and depression in medical interns at a public university in Mexico City Alejandro Alonso Altamirano * Department of Health Care, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Xochimilco Campus, Universidad Contemporánea de las Américas. México. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 24(02), 303-307 Publication history: Received on 29 September 2025; revised on 08 November 2025; accepted on 10 November 2025 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjbphs.2025.24.2.1002 Abstract This study determined the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in 304 undergraduate medical interns (IMs) from a public university in Mexico City, using the SCL-90-R. It was found that 49% of the IMs presented symptoms of depression and 43% anxiety symptoms, with moderate and moderately severe levels being the most frequent. By sex, women showed a higher prevalence of anxiety (53%) and depression (49%), while men presented fewer symptoms, although severe depression was more common in them (5.9%). The results suggest that work overload and academic pressure contribute to the risk of functional decline, highlighting the need for early detection and psychological support to prevent complications and foster a healthy academic environment. Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Medical Interns; SCL-90-R; Mental Health 1. Introduction Medical training is recognized as highly demanding, both academically and emotionally. Undergraduate interns face intense schedules, increasing clinical responsibility, and academic stress, which can lead to an increase in disorders such as anxiety and depression. Despite this, few studies comprehensively evaluate the prevalence of these symptoms in Mexico. The SCL-90-R allows for the efficient identification of multiple dimensions of psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, in emotionally demanding university settings. Its application in medical internships facilitates the early detection of symptoms and the planning of psychoeducational or therapeutic interventions. Several previous studies have shown a high prevalence of anxiety and depression in medical interns, which can affect their clinical performance and overall well-being. Therefore, this study hypothesizes that medical interns experience significant levels of anxiety and depression due to academic and work overload, and seeks to quantify its prevalence by sex and severity level to guide future prevention and psychological support strategies. 2. Methodology The study employed an observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive design. The target population consisted of undergraduate medical interns (MIPs) from a public university in Mexico City. The sample included all 437 MIPs who were invited to participate, of whom 304 voluntarily agreed to complete the survey after providing informed consent. The sample size calculation anticipated a minimum of 205 participants, considering a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error. The final sample size was 304, exceeding expectations. Data was collected using the Derogatis Symptom Inventory, revised (SCL-90-R), a 90-item instrument that assesses nine psychopathological dimensions. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 24(02), 303-307 304 Sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, and origin were also included. The questionnaire was administered electronically, individually, and confidentially. Table 1 Frequency and prevalence by level of depression Depression level Frequency Percentage (%) Absent 155 50.99% Moderate 80 26.32% Moderately severe 54 17.76% Severe 15 4.93% Total 304 100% Table 2 Frequency and prevalence by anxiety level Anxiety level Frequency Percentage (%) Absent 172 56.58% Moderate 78 25.66% Moderately severe 42 13.82% Severe 12 3.95% Total 304 100% Table 3 Frequency and prevalence by level of depression and anxiety in women Depression level Frequency Percentage (%) Anxiety level Frequency Percentage (%) Absent 103 50.99% Absent 94 46.53% Moderate 61 30.20% Moderate 54 26.73% Moderately severe 32 15.84% Moderately severe 43 21.29% Severe 6 2.97% Severe 11 5.45% Total 202 100% Total 202 100% Table 4 Frequency and prevalence by level of depression and anxiety in men Depression level Frequency Percentage (%) Anxiety level Frequency Percentage (%) Absent 70 68.63% Absent 62 60.78% Moderate 17 16.67% Moderate 26 25.49% Moderately severe 9 8.82% Moderately severe 10 9.80% Severe 6 5.88% Severe 4 3.92% Total 102 100% Total 102 100% World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 24(02), 303-307 305 3. Results Table 1 shows that 50.99% of participants did not present with depression, while 49.01% showed some degree of depression. Moderate and moderately severe levels (44.08%) require preventive attention, and severe cases represent 4.93%. Table 2 shows that more than half (56.58%) did not present with anxiety, but the 43.42% with symptoms indicates a significant prevalence. Moderate and moderately severe levels (39.48%) could benefit from preventive intervention, and severe cases represent 3.95%. Table 3 shows the frequency and prevalence by level of depression and anxiety in women. Half of the women did not present with depression, but 49% did show symptoms. Moderate depression (30.20%) warrants attention due to its impact on daily life, and severe cases (2.97%) are low, although they may be underreported. Regarding anxiety in women, the overall prevalence is 53.47%, higher than that of depression. Moderately severe and severe levels (26.74%) represent a group at risk that may require psychological intervention, with severe cases (5.45%) being more frequent than in depression. Table 4 shows the frequency and prevalence by level of depression and anxiety in men. It can be observed that 68.63% do not present with depression, while 31.37% do. Moderate and moderately severe levels (25.49%) reflect moderate impairment, and severe cases (5.88%) are more frequent than in women, suggesting greater intensity when depression occurs. For anxiety in men, the majority (60.78%) do not present with anxiety, but almost 4 out of 10 present with some level. Severe impairment is less frequent than in women. 3.1. Gender Comparison Depression: More frequent in women (49.01%) than in men (31.37%). Moderate levels were more common in women (30.20% vs. 16.67%). Severe cases were more frequent in men (5.88% vs. 2.97%). Anxiety: More frequent in women (53.47%) than in men (39.22%). Severe levels were higher in women (26.74% vs. 13.72%). Men reported a greater absence of symptoms for both depression and anxiety. 4. Discussion These results could be compared with similar studies in Mexico. For example, Gómez Landeros et al. (2019) observed that anxiety levels increased significantly in students at a public university at the end of their medical internship. Cancino-Marentes et al. (2025), in a recent multicenter study, reported a “high prevalence of depressive traits in undergraduate medical interns.” The above is consistent with the results obtained in the present study. Higher levels of severe depression were observed in women (26.74% vs. [unclear - likely referring to male participants]. 5. Conclusions In summary, most participants did not present with depression, but a significant proportion showed moderate or severe symptoms, suggesting the need for prevention strategies and psychological support for the studied population. Study Limitations The cross-sectional nature of the study allows for the determination of prevalence rates, but not the establishment of causal relationships between academic overload and symptoms of anxiety or depression. The study findings suggest the need to implement support strategies to promote the mental health of medical interns, psychological support programs to establish counseling and individual or group psychotherapy services for students with moderate or severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. Periodic assessments of emotional well-being should be incorporated during the internship, using tools such as the SCL-90-R, to promptly identify those who require support. Workshops on stress management, emotional regulation, and adaptive coping strategies should be offered to improve the resilience of interns to academic and clinical pressure, promoting a balance between academic training and psychological well-being. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 24(02), 303-307 306 Compliance with ethical standards Acknowledgments I am grateful for the support given to Dr. Jorge Alejandro Vazquez Narvaez and Dr. Juan Manuel Badillo Cervantes and to the participants in the study. Disclosure of conflict of interest Disclosure of conflict of interest The author declares no conflict of interest. Statement of ethical approval The author declares that the study was conducted in accordance with NOM-012-SSA3-2012, which establishes the criteria for the execution of health research projects in human beings, and in accordance with the General Health Law on health research, as provided in title two, chapter 1, article 17, which declares that this study is a risk-free investigation, informed consent was obtained from the subjects referred to in the article, maintaining anonymity, which is in the possession of the author. Statement of informed consent Right to privacy and informed consent. 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