- Marie-José Essi, Sidonie Ndjebet*, Tatiana Mossus, Johanne Abossolo, Félicien Ntone & Evelyne Mah
- *Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18241933
Background: Medical
students are exposed to high levels of psychological distress, while
institutional support systems remain limited in sub-Saharan Africa.
Understanding their mental health needs is essential for guiding effective
interventions.
Objective: To describe
the perceived mental health support needs of medical students at the University
of Yaoundé I, and to identify factors associated with the expression of these
needs.
Methods: A
cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires
assessing students’ needs. Associations with sociodemographic and academic
variables were analyzed.
Results: One-third
of participating students (34.9%) explicitly expressed a need for mental health
support across three dimensions. Emotional needs were predominant (77%);
master’s and doctoral students were three times more likely to report such
needs. Academic (46.1%) and socio-economic (3.4%) needs were also significant,
particularly among students at master’s and doctoral levels. Despite reported
distress, only 41.1% of students sought professional help.
Conclusion: Medical students present multidimensional psychological support needs that intensify as their training progresses. Addressing these needs could strengthen resilience, well-being, and the future professional performance of students.
