Occurrence of depressive disorders among students of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Jagiellonian University Medical College

Introduction
Student surveys confirm the incidence of depressive disorders with multifactorial origin, often with an atypical image, which can cause a lack of specific help. Therefore, an important role of the university is to provide students with conditions that promote mental health and show support in didactic process.

Aim of the study
To assess incidence of depressive disorders among students of a second-cycle programme of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Cracow.

Material and methods
The study covered 236 students in the following faculties: obstetrics, nursing, and physiotherapy, aged 21-54 years. A diagnostic ques-tionnaire method, survey technique was used with use of the author’s questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES). Results were developed in Statistica 13.1 program, and the statistical significance level was assumed to be p < 0.05.

Results
Depressive disorders, usually of mild or moderate severity, were confirmed in every third student. They appeared in individuals who declared other than positive relations with family, suicidal thoughts, depressive disorders in loved ones, feeling stress, and experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Positive correlations were confirmed between incidence of depressive disorders and loss of interest and joy, sense of sadness, depression, fatigue, exhaustion and rejection, pessimistic vision of future, anxiety, difficulty in focusing attention, avoiding social contacts, inability to solve problems, aggressiveness, impulsivity and low self-esteem.

Conclusions
Multidimensional relations between the incidence of depressive disorders in students and sociodemographic, psychological, and health-related factors, and the course of studies require an in-depth study, the results of which will allow us to take action to improve support systems aimed at improving the mental condition of students.