Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in Hungary
Abstract Background Medical students are more likely to have various physical and psychological issues, but less information is available about the healthcare-seeking behaviour for physical and mental health issues. The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting medical students’ health...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17041-4 |
| _version_ | 1797636648895250432 |
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| author | Afriza Umami Viktória Zsiros Ágnes Maróti-Nagy Zsuzsanna Máté Sudalhar Sudalhar Regina Molnár Edit Paulik |
| author_facet | Afriza Umami Viktória Zsiros Ágnes Maróti-Nagy Zsuzsanna Máté Sudalhar Sudalhar Regina Molnár Edit Paulik |
| author_sort | Afriza Umami |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Medical students are more likely to have various physical and psychological issues, but less information is available about the healthcare-seeking behaviour for physical and mental health issues. The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting medical students’ healthcare-seeking when visiting a general practitioner (GP) and/or psychologist. Methods 688 medical students (326 International and 362 Hungarian,) participated in a cross-sectional study. The information was gathered using a self-administered online questionnaire and covered socio-demographic background, health behaviour, general and mental health status and healthcare-seeking. For analysing adjusted associations, multivariable logistic regression models were used. Results Overall, 56.8% of medical students visit the GP; and 17.2%, the psychologist. Hungarian medical students visited the GP with chronic diseases, International medical students were more likely to visit a GP when they encountered sexual activity and had chronic diseases. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between sex, alcohol consumption, and perceived stress in the total sample of psychologist visits. When Hungarian medical students were in their clinical years and had a poor self-rated mental health, they were more likely to visit a psychologist. Whereas female international medical students and those who had poor self-rated mental health were more likely to seek psychological help. Conclusion Students visit a GP and/or psychologist is associated with a variety of factors, including socio-demographic background, health behaviours, and health issues. Medical schools should encourage help-seeking behaviours and early disclosure of medical students. Their ability to grasp healthcare attitudes and designing treatments will be important for both their academic success and future profession. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:38:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dcd8673654b54b93a2cb6d885d93decb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:38:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-dcd8673654b54b93a2cb6d885d93decb2023-11-05T12:31:18ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-10-0123111110.1186/s12889-023-17041-4Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in HungaryAfriza Umami0Viktória Zsiros1Ágnes Maróti-Nagy2Zsuzsanna Máté3Sudalhar Sudalhar4Regina Molnár5Edit Paulik6Department of Public Health, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of SzegedDepartment of Public Health, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of SzegedDepartment of Public Health, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of SzegedDepartment of Public Health, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of SzegedStikes Muhammadiyah BojonegoroDepartment of Public Health, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of SzegedDepartment of Public Health, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of SzegedAbstract Background Medical students are more likely to have various physical and psychological issues, but less information is available about the healthcare-seeking behaviour for physical and mental health issues. The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting medical students’ healthcare-seeking when visiting a general practitioner (GP) and/or psychologist. Methods 688 medical students (326 International and 362 Hungarian,) participated in a cross-sectional study. The information was gathered using a self-administered online questionnaire and covered socio-demographic background, health behaviour, general and mental health status and healthcare-seeking. For analysing adjusted associations, multivariable logistic regression models were used. Results Overall, 56.8% of medical students visit the GP; and 17.2%, the psychologist. Hungarian medical students visited the GP with chronic diseases, International medical students were more likely to visit a GP when they encountered sexual activity and had chronic diseases. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between sex, alcohol consumption, and perceived stress in the total sample of psychologist visits. When Hungarian medical students were in their clinical years and had a poor self-rated mental health, they were more likely to visit a psychologist. Whereas female international medical students and those who had poor self-rated mental health were more likely to seek psychological help. Conclusion Students visit a GP and/or psychologist is associated with a variety of factors, including socio-demographic background, health behaviours, and health issues. Medical schools should encourage help-seeking behaviours and early disclosure of medical students. Their ability to grasp healthcare attitudes and designing treatments will be important for both their academic success and future profession.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17041-4Healthcare-seekingMedical studentsGeneral practitionerPsychologist |
| spellingShingle | Afriza Umami Viktória Zsiros Ágnes Maróti-Nagy Zsuzsanna Máté Sudalhar Sudalhar Regina Molnár Edit Paulik Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in Hungary BMC Public Health Healthcare-seeking Medical students General practitioner Psychologist |
| title | Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in Hungary |
| title_full | Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in Hungary |
| title_fullStr | Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in Hungary |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in Hungary |
| title_short | Healthcare-seeking of medical students: the effect of socio-demographic factors, health behaviour and health status – a cross-sectional study in Hungary |
| title_sort | healthcare seeking of medical students the effect of socio demographic factors health behaviour and health status a cross sectional study in hungary |
| topic | Healthcare-seeking Medical students General practitioner Psychologist |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17041-4 |
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