Somatic Symptoms and Depression in Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

This cross-sectional, community-based study aimed to investigate the association between depression and somatic symptoms among physical therapy students in Egypt. Using validated tools-the PHQ-9 for depression and PHQ-15 for somatic symptoms-data were collected from undergraduate students through an online questionnaire distributed via social media. The study included students aged 19 to 24 from various Egyptian governorates. Results revealed a notable correlation between depressive symptoms and the severity of physical complaints, highlighting the need for increased mental health support and early screening strategies within physical therapy education programs.