ANXIETY AMONG BRAZILIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 300 million people worldwide experience anxiety-related problems; therefore, anxiety is considered a global and local health issue, which was intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the groups most affected are medical students, given their greater vulnerability to mental health problems. This topic deserves increased attention due to its significant implications, particularly for students. The aim of this study was to analyze anxiety among university students enrolled in medical school. A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed covering the period 2014–2024, using the descriptors “anxiety” AND “medical students” AND “Brazil.” A total of 129 records were identified, and 15 articles were included in this review. Reported anxiety prevalence rates ranged from 19.5% to 85.6%, with most estimates clustering between 30.1% and 52.6%. These values were higher than the national estimate, and even when the pandemic period was analyzed, no marked increase was observed. It was also not possible to identify a higher education program with a consistently higher prevalence of anxiety. In addition, being female and being in the early years of medical school were associated with higher prevalence rates. The potential impacts identified included depression, stress, daytime sleepiness, psychoactive substance use, poorer quality of life, and impaired academic performance. Anxiety-related problems are highly prevalent among medical students and are associated with multiple negative impacts on their lives.