Seasonal Variation in Mood Among Undergraduate Medical Professionals

Objectives Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as mentioned in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders 5 categorizes depression as a form of – major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern. SAD is described as recurrent episodes of variations in mood annually in accordance with certain seasons with complete remission or a change from major depression to mania in the intervening months. The study aims to assess the knowledge and to screen for SAD among undergraduate medical professionals as well as to determine the pattern of SAD in winter/summer Material and Methods Two hundred and fifty-two students were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire – Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). It consists of three primary questions that can be used to obtain the Global Seasonality Score (GSS) and the pattern of mood change. The SPAQ is shown to have good specificity (94%) but low sensitivity (44%) and is considered a good screening tool to assess SAD. Results Only 21% of participants were aware of the existence of SAD. The screening test yielded 10.3% and 42% of the study group to be at risk for developing SAD and sub-syndromal SAD, respectively. The mean GSS score was 9.6. There was a predominant summer pattern observed. There was also no gender correlation identified. Conclusion It can be concluded that although undergraduate medical professionals currently residing in North India do face seasonal variations in mood and behavior, most lack knowledge regarding the same. They face most difficulties during the summer months. These findings stand in contrast to most studies done in the West but are consistent with those done in the East.