The physician assistant (PA) profession growth rate was 31% in 2019 and is projected to continue to increase in the upcoming years. The rates of depression amongst the general population has been rising over the recent years. Currently, 7.1% of Americans are diagnosed with depression, however, approximately 30% of medical students carry this same diagnosis. Unfortunately, there is minimal data on the prevalence of depression amongst PA students. The literature review for this study is composed of past research on the prevalence of depression among medical students at various different programs. Some studies accounted for variable study measures including a previous diagnosis of mental illness, demographics including race, ethnicity, etc. while others did not. One study that was reviewed assessed if there is correlation between depression and work-related personality traits including: commitment, discipline, dominance, stability, cooperation, and social competence. In summary, the comprehensive review showed significant evidence that the prevalence of depression among medical students, and the small sample size of PA students, is greater than the general population. Studies showed that there is a significant association between the prevalence of depression and certain socio-demographics and work-related personality traits. This thesis proposes a multi-program, prospective cohort study to identify the prevalence of depression in PA students and identify potential factors that may be associated with the development of depression in PA school. The results of this study will then be compared to the general population’s rate of depression.This study will include various PA programs throughout the United States and assess the prevalence of depression among PA students while also accounting for potential variable measures including: sex, age, marital status, race, ethnicity, previous or current diagnosis of mental illness, and familial history. This data will be analyzed utilizing the chi-square test enabling for sub-group analysis as needed. The purpose of this research is to determine if the prevalence of depression among PA students is significantly greater than that of the general population. By identifying the prevalence of depression in PA students there is potential to decrease burnout in the PA profession and prevent potential detrimental effects such as suicide.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/43850 |
| Date | 09 February 2022 |
| Creators | Hardy, Isabel |
| Contributors | Stern, Aliza A., Weinstein, John R. |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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