US medical students' health insurance coverage for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

摘要

Medical students experience high levels of distress, including burnout, depression, and suicidal ideation. They use alcohol and tranquilizers at rates comparable with those of their peers. This distress has serious consequences, negatively affecting student empathy and altruism and contributing to postgraduate medical error. However, few students seek help. Limited data suggest cost is one reason students avoid seeking care. As no previous study has documented health insurance coverage offered to US medical students by their schools for mental health treatment (MHT) and substance abuse treatment (SAT), we set out to determine coverage standards.