Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Suicidal Ideation Among Pharmacy Students: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

TL;DR

Pharmacy students globally face high rates of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal thoughts, highlighting a critical mental health issue in future healthcare workers.

Contribution

This study provides a global meta-analysis of mental health prevalence among pharmacy students, revealing significant regional disparities and urgent public health implications.

Findings

Pooled prevalence rates of 44.26% for depression, 52.01% for anxiety, 48.10% for stress, and 24.52% for suicidal ideation among pharmacy students.

Higher mental health burdens in low- and middle-income countries and resource-limited regions.

Need for targeted mental health support systems, including screening and counseling, to address psychological distress in pharmacy students.

Abstract

Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue?
Pharmacy students worldwide experience high levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation, representing a substantial and underrecognized public health burden in this essential healthcare workforce.Significant regional and socioeconomic disparities show higher mental-health prevalence in low- and middle-income countries and resource-limited regions, underscoring inequities in mental-health vulnerability among future pharmacists.

Pharmacy students worldwide experience high levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation, representing a substantial and underrecognized public health burden in this essential healthcare workforce.

Significant regional and socioeconomic disparities show higher mental-health prevalence in low- and middle-income countries and resource-limited regions, underscoring inequities in mental-health vulnerability among future pharmacists.

Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health?
Identifying mental-health problems in pharmacy students is crucial, as psychological distress can impair academic performance, professional competency, and the quality of pharmaceutical care.This study provides high-quality pooled evidence from 51 studies across 16 countries, offering a global perspective to guide policy, resource allocation, and strategies to strengthen the mental well-being of future healthcare providers.

Identifying mental-health problems in pharmacy students is crucial, as psychological distress can impair academic performance, professional competency, and the quality of pharmaceutical care.

This study provides high-quality pooled evidence from 51 studies across 16 countries, offering a global perspective to guide policy, resource allocation, and strategies to strengthen the mental well-being of future healthcare providers.

Public health implications—Key implications or messages for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers
Institutions and policymakers should prioritize evidence-based mental-health support systems such as screening, counseling, stress management, and academic support tailored to pharmacy students.Health authorities should address structural determinants such as economic disparities, academic pressures, and limited mental-health infrastructure and invest in longitudinal studies to guide targeted interventions for reducing psychological distress in this population.

Institutions and policymakers should prioritize evidence-based mental-health support systems such as screening, counseling, stress management, and academic support tailored to pharmacy students.

Health authorities should address structural determinants such as economic disparities, academic pressures, and limited mental-health infrastructure and invest in longitudinal studies to guide targeted interventions for reducing psychological distress in this population.

Mental health conditions have become an increasing concern among university students, particularly those pursuing health science disciplines such as pharmacy. Rigorous academic demands, high workloads, and sustained psychological pressure place pharmacy students at a high risk of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation. This study aimed to systematically review and quantitatively synthesize existing evidence on the prevalence of mental health conditions among pharmacy students in Thailand and globally using a meta-analytic approach. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across the major academic databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and ThaiJo, using predefined search terms and stringent inclusion criteria to ensure methodological rigor and relevance. Data from eligible studies were extracted and analyzed using STATA software to ensure statistical precision and reliability of the pooled estimates. A total of 51 studies, comprising 17,717 pharmacy students across 16 countries, including the United States, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia, Syria, Pakistan, Poland, France, Portugal, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, were included. The meta-analysis revealed pooled prevalence rates of 44.26% for depression (95% CI: 36.08–52.61), 52.01% for anxiety (95% CI: 42.86–61.09), 48.10% for stress (95% CI: 32.96–63.43), and 24.52% for suicidal ideation (95% CI: 14.10–36.70). These findings reflect a substantial mental health burden among pharmacy students, necessitating immediate and context-specific interventions. Considering these findings, academic institutions must develop and implement comprehensive mental health support strategies. Such initiatives should include early identification and screening programs, access to psychological counseling services, resilience-building interventions, and stress management workshops to effectively address the psychological needs of pharmacy students and enhance their academic and personal well-being.

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