Abdulwali et al., J Biomed & App Sci FUD (2022) 1:2
Keywords: Depression, Risk factors, University students, Prevalence, Questionnaire, Nigeria
2022-06-30 DOI: JOBASFUD_2022_1_1_006
Background: Depression is a common health problem globally, especially among young adults, and it may lead to disability and even mortality. This study aimed to assess prevalence of depression and its associated factors among university students in Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 146 university students (response rate 100%). The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was administered to assess the level of depression among the study participants. Chi-square (χ2)/Fisher exact tests were used to determine the associations between depression and gender or year of study. Independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were also used to determine the mean difference of age across depression levels. Results: The overall prevalence of depression was 74.7% among the study participants. The prevalence for mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe depression were; 31.5%, 36.3%, 6.2%, and 0.7% respectively. There was statistically significant association between depression and gender (p-value = 0.046) and student’s study year (p-value = 0.028). Conclusion: The prevalence of depression is high among university students. There is a need for appropriate interventions to support the students with these mental issues to prevent further complications.