Mental health in midwifery students: A French nationwide survey

Background: Poor mental health in health students is a major public health issue, impacting personal quality of life and functioning, curriculum and care quality to patients.

Problem: Few studies to date have examined mental health in midwifery students.

Aim: To evaluate the midwifery students'mental health.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was performed between 02/11/2023 and 11/12/2023. Anonymous questionnaires were sent to midwife students via academic emails by all midwife faculties in France. We assessed the prevalence of current depressive symptoms, current generalised anxiety symptoms, burnout for students in internship, 12-month major depressive disorder and 12-month suicidal ideation, humiliation, sexual harassment, and sexual aggression during their curriculum with specific questions. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the main factors associated with major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation.

Findings: Among midwifery students, 1920 (response rate: 51.9 %) were included. The prevalences of current depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, burnout, 12-month major depressive disorder, and 12-month suicidal ideation were 62 %, 47 %, 44 %, 13 % and 14 %, respectively. Humiliation, sexual harassment and sexual aggression were reported by 19 %, 1.8 % and 0.7 %, respectively. In multivariable analyses, having important financial difficulties and sexual violence were associated with higher rates of major depressive episodes and suicidal ideation.

Discussion: >1 in 10 students suffered from 12-month depression and/or suicidal ideation, and almost half of them expressed various distressing symptoms.

Conclusion: These alarming results highlighted the need for interventions to improve mental health in midwifery students, including safer conditions of education and living.