Abstract:

Background: There is an increasing concern on the mental health of university students worldwide. The objectives of this study are to assess the prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety and stress among science students of Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study design was employed on 367 sampled undergraduate science students of Oduduwa University aged 16-30using sample of convenience. The data was collected usingself-administered questionnaires and data analysis was done using SPSS version 22. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among these science students were 62.6%, 67.8% and 17.8% respectively. Academic performance was found to be significantly associated with depression. Family economic situation was found to be significantly associated with stress. Marginal significant association was found between ethnicity and depression and between parent marital status and stress. No other factors have been found to be significantly associated.

Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among the university students. This stands as a great concern in public health. Therefore, there is need for concerted efforts, preventive measures and sufficient supportive services to be put in place for this group.

Keywords: DASS 21, depression, anxiety, stress, university students, Nigeria.

References:

[1].      Bayram, N and Bilgel, N (2008). The prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of depression, anxiety and stress among a group of university students. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 43, 667–672.

[2].      Bewick B, Koutsopoulou G, Miles J, Slaa E and Barkham M (2010). Changes in undergraduate students’ psychological wellbeing as they progress through university. Studies in Higher Education, 35, 633-645. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075070903216643

[3].      Chen L, Wang L, Qiu XH, Yang XX, Qiao ZX, Yang YJ and Liang Y (2013). Depression among Chinese university students: prevalence and socio-demographic correlates. PLoS One, 8, 667-672. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0345-x

[4].      DeRosier ME, Frank E, Schwartz V, and Leary KA (2013). The potential role of resilience education for preventing mental health problems for college students. Psychiatric Annals, 43(12): 538-544. doi:10.3928/00485713-20131206-05.

[5].      Gruttadaro D and Crudo D (2012). College students speak: a survey on mental health. National Alliance on Mental Health. www.nami.org/namioncampus

[6].      Haarasilta LM, Marttunen MJ, Kaprio JA, Aro HM (2004). Correlates of depression in a representative nationwide sample of adolescents (15-19 years) and young adults (20-24 years). Eur J Public Health; 14:280–285.[7] Kahn RS, Wise PH, Kennedy BP, Kawachi I (2000). State income inequality, household income and maternal mental and physical health: cross sectional national survey. BMJ; 321:311–5.

[7].      Katerndahl DA, Parchman M (2002). The ability of the stress process model to explain mental health outcomes. Compr Psychiatry; 43:351–60.

[8].      Kessler RC, Berglund P, Demler O (2003). The epidemiology of major depressive disorder. JAMA. 289: 3095–105.

[9].      Mahmoud JS, Staten RT, Hall LA, and Lennie TA (2012). “The relationship among young adult college students’ depression, anxiety, stress, demographics, life satisfaction, and coping styles,” Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33 (3): 149– 156.

[10].   Mirza I (2004). Risk factors, prevalence and treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders in Pakistan: a systematic review. BMJ; 328:794–797.

[11].   Monroe ML, Edward PT and Neal HG (1980). Childhood Depression, Family Income, and Locus of Control. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 168, 732-735.

[12].   Muntaner C, Eaton WW, Miech R, O’Campo P (2004). Socioeconomic position and major mental disorders. Epidemiol Rev; 26:53–62. [14] Ovuga E, Boardman J, Wasserman D (2006). Undergraduate student mental health at Makerere University, Uganda. World Psychiatry, 5(1):51–52

[13].   Poch FV, Villar E, Caparros B, Juan J, Cornella M, Perez I (2004). Feelings of hopelessness in a Spanish university population. Descriptive analysis and its relationship to adapting to university, depressive symptomatology and suicidal ideation. Soc Psychiatry PsychiatrEpidemiol 39:326–334

[14].   Regier DA, Farmer ME, Rae DS, Myers JK, Kramer M, Robins LN (1993). One-month prevalence of mental disorders in the United States and sociodemographic characteristics: the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. ActaPsychiatrScand; 88(1):35–47.

[15].   Selye, H. (1978). The stress of life. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

[16].   Shamsuddin, K., et al., (2013). Correlates of depression, anxiety and stress among Malaysian university students. Asian J. Psychiatry http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2013.01.014

[17].   Sobocki P, Lekander I, Borgstrom F, Strom O, Runeson B (2007). The economic burden of depression in Sweden from 1997 to 2005. Eur Psychiatry, 22(3): 146– 152.

[18].   Spielberger, CD and Sydeman, SJ (1994). State-trait anxiety inventory and state-trait anger expression inventory. In ME. Maruish (Ed.), The use of psychological tests for treatment planning and outcome assessment (pp. 292–321). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

[19].   Spiessl H, Hubner-Liebermann B, Hajak G (2006). Depression, a widespread disease. Epidemiology, care situation, diagnosis, therapy and prevention]. Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 131(1–2): 35–40.

[20].   Stewart-Brown S, Evans J, Patterson J, Petersen S, Doll H, Balding J, Regis D (2000). The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important and neglected public health problem? J Public Health Med 22(4):492–499

[21].   Teh CK, Ngo CW, Zulkifli RA., Vellasamy R. and Suresh K (2015). Depression, anxiety and stress among undergraduate students: a cross sectional study. Open Journal of Epidemiology, 5, 260-268.http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojepi.2015.54030

[22].   Tomoda A, Mori K, Kimura M, Takahashi T, Kitamura T (2000). One year prevalence and incidence of depression among first year university students in Japan: a preliminary study. PsychiatClin Neuros 54:583–588

[23].   Turner RJ, Lloyd DA (2004). Stress burden and the lifetime incidence of psychiatric disorder in young adults: racial and ethnic contrasts. Arch Gen Psychiatry; 61:481–8.

[24].   Vaez M, Kristenson M and Laflamme L (2004). Perceived quality of life and self-rated health among first-year University students. Social Indicators Research, 68, 221-234.

[25].   Wintre, M.G. and Yaffe, M. (2000). First-year students’ adjustment to university life as a function of relationships with parents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 15, 9-37.

[26].   Wong WS, Cheung PT, Chan KC, Ma KM, Tang SW (2006). Web-based survey of depression, anxiety and stress in first-year tertiary education students in Hong Kong. Aus N Z J Psychiat 40(9):777–782