Religion: a protective factor against depression and suicide attempts in medical residents.

BACKGROUND

The demands and stressors of medical residency are associated with a high prevalence of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts, often stemming from the pressures of training. Religion may serve as a protective factor against these mental health challenges.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association between depression and suicide attempts with religious affiliation among medical residents across 82 specialties.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, exploratory study surveyed 16,229 medical residents using a 30-item questionnaire, including the PHQ-9 for depression screening and items on sociodemographic data, academic experiences, and personal/family history. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI), adjusting for age, sex, specialty, and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Of the 16,229 residents, 31.1 % reported mild depression, 12.3 % moderate depression, and 3.6 % severe depression. Higher prevalence of moderate-to-severe depression was observed among Jewish (11.4 %) and Muslim residents (9.1 %), followed by non-religious (5.0 %) and Catholic residents (3.0 %). Catholics exhibited a 24 % lower risk of suicide attempts compared to non-religious residents (adjusted OR = 0.76; 95 % CI: 0.62-0.92). In contrast, residents without religious affiliation showed higher odds of previous depression (adjusted OR = 1.28; 95 % CI: 1.10-1.50). Model fit was assessed with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (p > 0.05), and collinearity diagnostics confirmed the robustness of the models.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression and suicide attempts remain highly prevalent among medical residents, with significant variation by religious affiliation. Catholic affiliation appeared protective against suicide attempts, while a lack of religious affiliation was associated with higher odds of depression. These findings highlight the need to consider sociocultural and religious dimensions in strategies for mental health prevention and support during residency.