Introduction:

The new coronavirus pandemic has led to an exacerbation of psychological disorders, especially among specific populations such as healthcare professionals. In this context, medical residency comes to the forefront, as it represents a period of intense training that, during the pandemic, was subjected to significant modifications to the routine.

Objective:

To assess the symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety among medical residents from a university hospital in northeastern Brazil using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - Short Form (DASS-21), and explore possible associations with social parameters, working hours, and lifestyle habits.

Method:

This was an observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study conducted from October 2021 to February 2022, involving active medical residents enrolled in medical residency programs between March 2021 and February 2022.

Results:

A total of 41 residents were evaluated, with 68.3% being female and a mean age of 30.5 ± 3.7 years. At least one symptom of depression, stress, and anxiety were reported in 68.3%, 41.5%, and 85.4% of the sample, respectively. Nine participants had used psychotropic medications in the year leading up to the survey, 13 had undergone psychotherapy, and five had received psychiatric care. There was a statistically significant association between the use of psychotropic medications in the preceding 12-month period and higher scores on the stress subscale of the DASS-21 (18.00 ± 12.61 vs. 9.81 ± 9.34; p = 0.038). There was also an association between a shorter average daily sleep duration and the presence of any symptom of depression as indicated by the DASS-21 (6.03 ± 0.79 vs. 6.77 ± 1.01; p = 0.016).

Conclusion:

A high frequency of symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression were observed among medical residents with low rates of psychiatric monitoring and psychotherapeutic or pharmacological intervention.

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