Table 2.
Description of how well medical school communicated with students by risk of developing depressive disorder (N = 212)
| Total n (%) | Average risk* n (%) | At risk* n (%) |
p-valuea | aOR (95% CI)b | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic standard ratings during pandemic | 0.007 | ||||
| Far below/ below standards | 38 (17.9) | 11 (29.0) | 27 (71.0) | 2.47 (0.97 −6.28) | |
| Meets standards | 126 (59.4) | 69 (54.8) | 57 (45.2) | Reference | |
| Above/ far above standards | 48 (22.6) | 29 (60.4) | 19 (39.6) | 0.70 (0.31 −1.59) | |
| Communication about transition to online learning during pandemic | 0.007 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 29 (14.2) | 11 (37.9) | 18 (62.1) | 0.83 (0.27 −2.54) | |
| Fair | 55 (26.8) | 21 (38.2) | 34 (61.8) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 121 (59.0) | 73 (60.3) | 48 (39.7) | 0.34 (0.15 −0.78) | |
| Communication about how long medical school expected to utilize new learning methods | 0.001 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 65 (31.6) | 24 (36.9) | 41 (63.1) | 1.77 (0.76 −4.12) | |
| Fair | 64 (31.1) | 31 (48.4) | 33 (51.6) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 77 (37.4) | 52 (67.5) | 25 (32.5) | 0.53 (0.23 −1.21) | |
| Communication about test dates and times by administration | 0.06 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 32 (15.8) | 12 (37.5) | 20 (62.5) | 0.95 (0.32 −2.88) | |
| Fair | 47 (23.2) | 20 (42.6) | 27 (57.5) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 124 (61.1) | 71 (68.9) | 53 (42.7) | 0.43 (0.19 −0.99) | |
| Communication about summer research, practicums, or other curriculum | 0.007 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 51 (26.2) | 17 (33.3) | 34 (66.7) | 1.97 (0.76 −5.10) | |
| Fair | 59 (30.3) | 30 (50.8) | 29 (49.2) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 85 (43.6) | 52 (61.2) | 33 (38.8) | 0.52 (0.23 −1.22) | |
| Communication about return to classes in the Fall | <0.001 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 54 (27.0) | 24 (44.4) | 30 (55.6) | 0.44 (0.16 −1.22) | |
| Fair | 51 (25.5) | 14 (27.4) | 37 (72.6) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 95 (47.5) | 62 (65.3) | 33 (34.7) | 0.21 (0.08 −0.52) | |
| Communication of new or changing curriculum requirements | <0.001 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 47 (22.8) | 16 (34.0) | 31 (66.0) | 0.78 (0.28 −2.18) | |
| Fair | 48 (23.3) | 16 (33.3) | 32 (66.7) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 111 (53.9) | 73 (65.8) | 38 (34.2) | 0.26 (0.11 −0.62) | |
| Communication about delays or cancellations in national tests | 0.04 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 59 (35.1) | 25 (42.4) | 34 (57.6) | 0.63 (0.22 −1.80) | |
| Fair | 37 (22.0) | 15 (40.5) | 22 (59.5) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 72 (42.9) | 44 (61.1) | 28 (38.9) | 0.46 (0.16 −1.29) | |
| Communication of information about changes to school fees | 0.005 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 94 (48.7) | 37 (39.4) | 57 (60.6) | 2.12 (0.87 −5.16) | |
| Fair | 43 (22.3) | 28 (65.1) | 15 (34.9) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 56 (29.0) | 34 (60.7) | 22 (39.3) | 0.86 (0.32 −2.34) | |
| Communication about scholarships or other funding | 0.001 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 59 (33.0) | 19 (32.2) | 40 (67.8) | 3.37 (1.30 −8.71) | |
| Fair | 53 (29.6) | 30 (56.6) | 23 (43.4) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 67 (37.4) | 43 (64.2) | 24 (35.8) | 0.55 (0.22 −1.39) | |
| Communication about eligibility for CARES Act grant funds | 0.3 | ||||
| Very poor/ poor | 76 (41.3) | 35 (46.1) | 41 (54.0) | 0.95 (0.37 −2.42) | |
| Fair | 41 (22.3) | 19 (46.3) | 22 (53.7) | Reference | |
| Well/ very well | 67 (36.4) | 39 (58.2) | 28 (41.8) | 0.75 (0.29 −1.94) |
aOR= adjusted odds ratios; 95% CI = 95% confidence interval
*Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression, short-form (CESD-10), contained 10 questions with responses ranging from 0 to 3. The “average risk” score was < 10 and the “at risk” score was ≥ 10. This cutoff of depressive symptomology for this measure is established in the literature.
aChi-Square test p-value for unadjusted bivariate analyses.
baOR adjusted for year in medical school, change in coping, and change in depressive symptoms.
Bold odds ratios indicate significance at P < 0.05.