Prevalence of depressive symptoms and obsessive–compulsive personality traits among pharmacy students

ObjectiveTo survey current pharmacy students to determine the rates of depressive and obsessive–compulsive personality symptoms.MethodsApproximately 320 students currently enrolled at a school of pharmacy were sent an online survey. Symptoms of depression were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Symptoms of Obsessive–Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) were evaluated using questions derived from the diagnostic criteria of OCPD as found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV-TR (DSM-IV-TR).ResultsA total of 166 students (51.8%) completed the survey. The prevalence of any type of depressive symptom (≥5 points on the PHQ-9 Scale) was 52.4% (n = 87). The majority of students (80.1%; n = 133) declared they had never been diagnosed with a mental health condition; 13.9% (n = 23) had been diagnosed with depression. Of those sampled, 30% (n = 50) of students indicated the presence of at least four out of eight symptoms of OCPD.ConclusionThe prevalence of depressive symptoms, OCPD symptoms, and other mental health disorders in a school of pharmacy appears to be relatively high. Continued recognition and awareness of these disorders is critical to the overall health and well-being of pharmacy students.