Prevalence and Predictors of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Zagazig University Students, GHADA M. SALEM, MARWA B. AWAD ALLAH and RANDA M. SAID
Abstract
Background: University students often claim to experience stress, anxiety, symptoms of depression which have significant negative impact on their academic performance and their mental health.
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among Zagazig University students and to identify the associated risk factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2016 to March 2016 on 300 Zagazig University students who were selected by a multistage random sampling technique. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was assessed by Arabic short version of the standardized Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 items (DASS21), and assessment of associated risk factors was done through a structured pretested questionnaire.
Results: The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress with various degrees was 40%, 45%, 33.6% among studied sample respectively. Multiple sociodemographic, life style, family and academic factors have been significantly associated (p<0.05) with depression, anxiety and stress like type of college, gender, age, housing, academic achievement, regular exercise, daily sleeping hours, smoking habit and other family and academic factors.
Conclusion: This study revealed that relative proportional of the university students suffered from depression, anxiety and stress which were statistically significant affected by many life style, family and academic risk factors.