TY - JOUR
T1 - Key characteristics including sex, sexual orientation and internet use associated with worse mental health among university students in Brazil and implications
AU - de Paula, Waléria
AU - Pereira, João Marcos
AU - Guimarães, Nathalia Sernizon
AU - Godman, Brian
AU - Nascimento, Renata Cristina Rezende Macedo do
AU - Meireles, Adriana Lúcia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
PY - 2022/12/1
Y1 - 2022/12/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: The symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders are multifactorial and can trigger a series of problems especially among university students. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors with anxiety and depression symptoms among first-semester university students at a Federal University in Brazil given the paucity of such data and the first semester is the most stressfultime. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with first-semester university students. The questionnaire included socio-demographic variables, lifestyles, health conditions and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Descriptive analysis was performed, followed by bivariate analysis and Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-six students (65.2%) across a range of courses in their first semester participated. The prevalence of anxiety was 42.5% and depression 33.2%. Regarding symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders, a positive association was observed among females, non-heterosexual, non-white skin color, excessive internet use, lack of physical activity, not attending university parties, having psychological counseling, history of anxiety in first- or second-degree relatives, poor self-rated health and use of psychotropic medicines. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, the importance of developing programs to promote mental and physical health of university students is highlighted.
AB - BACKGROUND: The symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders are multifactorial and can trigger a series of problems especially among university students. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors with anxiety and depression symptoms among first-semester university students at a Federal University in Brazil given the paucity of such data and the first semester is the most stressfultime. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with first-semester university students. The questionnaire included socio-demographic variables, lifestyles, health conditions and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Descriptive analysis was performed, followed by bivariate analysis and Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-six students (65.2%) across a range of courses in their first semester participated. The prevalence of anxiety was 42.5% and depression 33.2%. Regarding symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders, a positive association was observed among females, non-heterosexual, non-white skin color, excessive internet use, lack of physical activity, not attending university parties, having psychological counseling, history of anxiety in first- or second-degree relatives, poor self-rated health and use of psychotropic medicines. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, the importance of developing programs to promote mental and physical health of university students is highlighted.
KW - Brazil
KW - anxiety
KW - depression
KW - first-semester university students
KW - prevalence
KW - universities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85143199401&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/pubmed/fdab406
DO - 10.1093/pubmed/fdab406
M3 - Article
C2 - 35037058
AN - SCOPUS:85143199401
VL - 44
SP - e487-e498
JO - Journal of Public Health
JF - Journal of Public Health
SN - 1741-3842
IS - 4
ER -