Association between a healthy lifestyle and the prevalence of depression in radiology residents in China: findings from a nationwide survey

Objective: The relationship between a healthy lifestyle and depression in radiology residents remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the relationship between a healthy lifestyle and depressive symptoms in radiology residents in a nationwide survey.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: The survey was conducted among radiology residents undergoing training in China between December 2020 and April 2021. This encompassed a total of 215 municipalities and 406 training centres.

Participants: 3677 radiology residents in 31 provinces of China.

Primary and secondary outcome measures: The primary outcome was Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS). A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between lifestyle factors and depressive symptoms. Additionally, the weighted quantile sum (WQS) index was utilised to identify the lifestyle factor that had the greatest impact on depressive symptoms.

Results: The study sample consisted of 3677 participants, among whom the prevalence of depression was 34.7%. Participants were categorised based on their Health Lifestyle Score (HLS) into three groups: low HLS (LHLS), moderate HLS (MHLS) and high HLS (HHLS), with proportions of 8.0%, 79.8% and 12.2%, respectively. Those with LHLS were found to have a significantly higher risk of depression (OR: 5.21, 95% CI: 3.72 to 7.30) and a more severe level of depression (p for trend<0.001) compared with those with HHLS. Furthermore, the Well-being Quality of Life Index (WQS) showed a significant association with depression (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.40), with sleep being identified as the most significant factor contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion: The study establishes a significant association between an LHLS (long and irregular work hours) and an elevated risk of depressive symptoms among the participants, emphasising the crucial role of sleep in this relationship. These findings underline the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle, specifically emphasising the need for adequate sleep, among radiology residents.