Wellbeing and mental health amongst medical students from Hong Kong

Abstract

Medical students are a known high-risk group for mental health issues. This study aimed to survey the psychological well-being of medical students from Hong Kong, a known stressful city. This study is part of a wider effort to compare the psychological well-being of medical students world-wide. We invited medical students from Hong Kong to complete a self-report questionnaire online. The questionnaire included questions on demographics, known mental health issues, sources of psychological stress, and substance use. It also included the cut-annoyed-guilty-eye (CAGE) questionnaire, Short-Form General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). There were 123 responses. Our results suggest high levels of psychological morbidity and distress among medical students in Hong Kong. 87% screened positive for minor psychiatric disorders on the GHQ-12 and 95% met OLBI thresholds for burnout. Female respondents demonstrated significantly higher mean GHQ-12 scores than male. Despite the apparent high prevalence of mental ill-health in this population, only 15% of respondents reported receiving professional help.