Are students prone to depression and suicidal thoughts?
Authors:
- Ewa Helena Mojs,
- Katarzyna Warchoł-Biedermann,
- Maria D. D. Głowacka,
- Wojciech Strzelecki,
- Beata Ziemska,
- Włodzimierz Samborski
Abstract
Introduction: Depression may affect up to 9.8% of adolescents and young adults and is associated with significant life-long consequences. The aim of our study was to assess the association between symptoms of depression and demographic factors such as gender, having brothers or sisters, background (rural/small town or urban permanent place of residence), perceived financial status, current living arrangements, year and major area of study. Material and methods: One thousand one hundred eighty-three students of medical or similar faculties, 71% of whom were females, anonymously answered the Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale (KADS) and completed a demographic questionnaire. Results: We found that 6.5% of all participants (n = 77) had depression according to Kutcher's criteria whereas 1.5% of them (n = 18) reported suicidal thoughts. We also observed the influence of such factors as gender (p < 0.009), year (p < 0.001), major area of study (p < 0.034), and financial status (p < 0.000-0.003), on depression scores. Moreover, depressive symptomatology was most frequent in subjects who were only children, in freshmen and in students of psychology (11.5%, 13.2% and 16.7% respectively). However, we did not observe an impact of such agents as students' permanent place of residence (p = 0.929) or current living arrangements on depressive symptoms (p = 0.940). Conclusions: Susceptibility to depression fluctuates throughout the course of study and depends on factors associated with the study itself such as the student's major or year of study and other socio-demographic agents, i.e. gender or self-reported financial status.
- Record ID
- UAMee83b6b5f4a1477e9a83e54ad66a480a
- Author
- Journal series
- Archives of Medical Science, ISSN 1734-1922
- Issue year
- 2015
- Vol
- 11
- Pages
- 605-611
- ASJC Classification
- DOI
- DOI:10.5114/aoms.2013.38179 Opening in a new tab
- Language
- (en) English
- Score (nominal)
- 30
- Score source
- journalList
- Score
- Publication indicators
- = 8; : 2015 = 1.047; : 2015 (2 years) = 1.812 - 2015 (5 years) =1.733
- Uniform Resource Identifier
- https://researchportal.amu.edu.pl/info/article/UAMee83b6b5f4a1477e9a83e54ad66a480a/
- URN
urn:amu-prod:UAMee83b6b5f4a1477e9a83e54ad66a480a
* presented citation count is obtained through Internet information analysis and it is close to the number calculated by the Publish or PerishOpening in a new tab system.