The prevalence of loneliness amongst medical students a systematic review and meta-analysis

This meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of loneliness among medical students and to identify associated factors. Relevant articles were identified and extracted from five electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, PsycNet, and Ovid Medline, covering the period from 20 The search strategy employed the keywords “((Medical students OR Medical undergraduates) AND Loneliness).” The methodological quality of the included prevalence studies was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence of loneliness among medical students. Nine studies was included in the meta-analysis with the pooled proportion of 42.7% (95% CI: 32.4 to 53.3%) was concluded. 19 studies were conducted for associated factors including age, screentime, academics, exercise, support, gender, COVID-19, personality, financial situation, stress, depression and sleep quality. The systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that nearly half of the medical students experience loneliness, highlighting it as a significant concern for student well-being. Factors influencing its prevalence include gender, academic stress, and various psychosocial determinants.