Abstract
Background
University students encounter stressors that make them more susceptible to depression than the general population. Depression negatively impacts mental and physical health. Our study assessed the prevalence of depression among university students in Jordan and its associated predictors after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
We conducted this cross-sectional online survey study in the first quarter of 2022 by sending an online questionnaire to university students aged 18 years and older. This study assessed the symptoms of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify associated predictors of depression.
Results
A total of 535 university students participated in this study. The mean depression score for the study participants was 13.9 (SD: 7.1) out of 27, representing a moderate level of depression. Among the participants, 26.2% had moderate, 19.3% had moderately severe, and 25.8% had severe depression. Students who drink three or more cups of coffee per day, have had an evaluation of their psychological state by specialists before, and have been diagnosed with any mental illness were more likely to have a higher depression score compared to others (p<0.05). On the other hand, students who were aged 24 years and older and those who practiced regular exercise were less likely to have a higher depression score compared to others (p<0.05).
Conclusion
We found a high prevalence of depression among university students in Jordan. This result is vital for decision-makers to implement a plan to prevent and manage this mental health issue.
Data Sharing Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Ethics Approval and Informed Consent
We obtained approval for our study from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Jordan University of Science and Technology (number 2021/678). Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. The study was designed and conducted in accordance with the ethical principles that have their origin and comply with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Acknowledgment
We thank the Jordan University of Science and Technology for its support.
Author Contributions
All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting or revising the article, have agreed on the journal to which the article will be submitted, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed to submit to the current journal; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.