Comparison of depression and anxiety levels among students: An observational study in Dhaka City

Published: Jun 13, 2024

Abstract:

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare differences in depression and anxiety levels among college students by type of college, gender, socioeconomic status, sleeping time, and health status.

Research methodology: For the purpose of this study, three (3) public and three (3) private colleges were selected from the colleges of the National University in Dhaka city by applying the purposive sampling method. In total, 192 respondents were selected using simple random sampling. Subsequently, survey data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, percentages, frequencies, and a simple linear regression model.

Results: The mean scores for Depression, Anxiety according to college type (government versus non-government) were , statistically different. At the depression level, Government and Non-government College students were both minimally depressed, but at the anxiety level, government and non-government college students were mild (37.69) and severe (46.13), respectively. In the regression model, this study found statistically significant differences in depression and anxiety by college type and gender.

Limitations: The main limitation of this study was that the number of participants was small, which in many cases may not represent the entire population. Second, the participants had difficulty understanding the scale used in the depression and anxiety questionnaire.

Contribution: The results of the current study will help Bangladeshi psychological society, various universities, research institutes, and government policymakers formulate strategies for mental health.

Novelty: The method applied and the results obtained in this study will open up new horizons of ideas instead of long-standing conventional ideas for studying the depression and anxiety of students studying at the National University of Bangladesh.

Keywords:
1. Depression
2. Anxiety
3. National University Students
4. Statistical Modeling
Authors:
1 . Sadhan Kumar Ghosh
2 . Bipul Kumar Sarker
3 . Sanjoy Kumar Saha
4 . Ahsanul Islam
5 . Md Shakil
How to Cite
Ghosh, S. K., Sarker, B. K., Saha, S. K., Islam, A., & Shakil, M. (2024). Comparison of depression and anxiety levels among students: An observational study in Dhaka City. Psychohealth: Scientific Journal of Psychology and Mental Health, 1(1), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.35912/psychohealth.v1i1.1661

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References

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    Adlaf, E. M., Gliksman, L., Demers, A., & Newton-Taylor, B. (2001). The prevalence of elevated psychological distress among Canadian undergraduates: Findings from the 1998 Canadian Campus Survey. Journal of American College Health, 50(2), 67-72.

    Al-Qaisy, L. M. (2011). The relation of depression and anxiety in academic achievement among group of university students. Int J Psychol Couns, 3(5), 96-100.

    Asif, S., Mudassar, A., Shahzad, T. Z., Raouf, M., & Pervaiz, T. (2020). Frequency of depression, anxiety and stress among university students. Pakistan journal of medical sciences, 36(5), 971.

    Bayram, N., & Bilgel, N. (2008). The prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of depression, anxiety and stress among a group of university students. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 43, 667-672.

    Buchanan, J. L. (2012). Prevention of depression in the college student population: a review of the literature. Archives of psychiatric nursing, 26(1), 21-42.

    Cohen, S., Gianaros, P. J., & Manuck, S. B. (2016). A stage model of stress and disease. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(4), 456-463.

    Demirci, K., Akgönül, M., & Akpinar, A. (2015). Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. Journal of behavioral addictions, 4(2), 85-92.

    Ericson, P. M., & Gardner, J. W. (1992). Two longitudinal studies of communication apprehension and its effects on college students' success. Communication Quarterly, 40(2), 127-137.

    Faisal, R. A., Jobe, M. C., Ahmed, O., & Sharker, T. (2022). Mental health status, anxiety, and depression levels of Bangladeshi university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20(3), 1500-1515.

    Ghazawy, E. R., Ewis, A. A., Mahfouz, E. M., Khalil, D. M., Arafa, A., Mohammed, Z., . . . Ewis, S. A. (2021). Psychological impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the university students in Egypt. Health Promotion International, 36(4), 1116-1125.

    Hossain, M. M., Alam, M. A., & Masum, M. H. (2022). Prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among students of Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh. Health Science Reports, 5(2), e559.

    Hysenbegasi, A., Hass, S. L., & Rowland, C. R. (2005). The impact of depression on the academic productivity of university students. Journal of mental health policy and economics, 8(3), 145.

    Iqbal, S., Gupta, S., & Venkatarao, E. (2015). Stress, anxiety & depression among medical undergraduate students & their socio-demographic correlates. Indian journal of medical research, 141(3), 354-357.

    Kumaraswamy, N. (2013). Academic stress, anxiety and depression among college students: A brief review. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(1), 135-143.

    Mirza, A. A., Baig, M., Beyari, G. M., Halawani, M. A., & Mirza, A. A. (2021). Depression and anxiety among medical students: a brief overview. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 393-398.

    Mohd Sidik, S., Rampal, L., & Kaneson, N. (2003). Prevalence of emotional disorders among medical students in a Malaysian university. Asia Pacific Family Medicine, 2(4), 213-217.

    Patwary, M. M., Bardhan, M., Disha, A. S., Kabir, M. P., Hossain, M. R., Alam, M. A., . . . Kabir, R. (2022). Mental health status of university students and working professionals during the early stage of COVID-19 in Bangladesh. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(11), 6834.

    Rasheduzzaman, M., Al Mamun, F., Faruk, M. O., Hosen, I., & Mamun, M. A. (2021). Depression in Bangladeshi university students: the role of sociodemographic, personal, and familial psychopathological factors. Perspectives in psychiatric care, 57(4), 1585-1594.

    Saravanan, C., & Wilks, R. (2014). Medical students’ experience of and reaction to stress: the role of depression and anxiety. The scientific world journal.

    Sarker, B. K., Gain, N., Saha, S. K., Mondal, N. B., & Ifte, I. (2024). A quantitative research of learning habits of secondary school students: An observational study in Dhaka Division. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 4(2), 117-127.

    Stallman, H. M. (2008). Prevalence of psychological distress in university students: Implications for service delivery. Australian Journal of General Practice, 37(8), 673.

  1. Adamu, I. G., Olayinka, A. A., & Usman, M. (2024). Factors influencing students’ academic performance: The Case of Mai Idris Alooma Polytechnic Geidam. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 4(2), 141-152.
  2. Adlaf, E. M., Gliksman, L., Demers, A., & Newton-Taylor, B. (2001). The prevalence of elevated psychological distress among Canadian undergraduates: Findings from the 1998 Canadian Campus Survey. Journal of American College Health, 50(2), 67-72.
  3. Al-Qaisy, L. M. (2011). The relation of depression and anxiety in academic achievement among group of university students. Int J Psychol Couns, 3(5), 96-100.
  4. Asif, S., Mudassar, A., Shahzad, T. Z., Raouf, M., & Pervaiz, T. (2020). Frequency of depression, anxiety and stress among university students. Pakistan journal of medical sciences, 36(5), 971.
  5. Bayram, N., & Bilgel, N. (2008). The prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of depression, anxiety and stress among a group of university students. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 43, 667-672.
  6. Buchanan, J. L. (2012). Prevention of depression in the college student population: a review of the literature. Archives of psychiatric nursing, 26(1), 21-42.
  7. Cohen, S., Gianaros, P. J., & Manuck, S. B. (2016). A stage model of stress and disease. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(4), 456-463.
  8. Demirci, K., Akgönül, M., & Akpinar, A. (2015). Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. Journal of behavioral addictions, 4(2), 85-92.
  9. Ericson, P. M., & Gardner, J. W. (1992). Two longitudinal studies of communication apprehension and its effects on college students' success. Communication Quarterly, 40(2), 127-137.
  10. Faisal, R. A., Jobe, M. C., Ahmed, O., & Sharker, T. (2022). Mental health status, anxiety, and depression levels of Bangladeshi university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20(3), 1500-1515.
  11. Ghazawy, E. R., Ewis, A. A., Mahfouz, E. M., Khalil, D. M., Arafa, A., Mohammed, Z., . . . Ewis, S. A. (2021). Psychological impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the university students in Egypt. Health Promotion International, 36(4), 1116-1125.
  12. Hossain, M. M., Alam, M. A., & Masum, M. H. (2022). Prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among students of Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh. Health Science Reports, 5(2), e559.
  13. Hysenbegasi, A., Hass, S. L., & Rowland, C. R. (2005). The impact of depression on the academic productivity of university students. Journal of mental health policy and economics, 8(3), 145.
  14. Iqbal, S., Gupta, S., & Venkatarao, E. (2015). Stress, anxiety & depression among medical undergraduate students & their socio-demographic correlates. Indian journal of medical research, 141(3), 354-357.
  15. Kumaraswamy, N. (2013). Academic stress, anxiety and depression among college students: A brief review. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(1), 135-143.
  16. Mirza, A. A., Baig, M., Beyari, G. M., Halawani, M. A., & Mirza, A. A. (2021). Depression and anxiety among medical students: a brief overview. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 393-398.
  17. Mohd Sidik, S., Rampal, L., & Kaneson, N. (2003). Prevalence of emotional disorders among medical students in a Malaysian university. Asia Pacific Family Medicine, 2(4), 213-217.
  18. Patwary, M. M., Bardhan, M., Disha, A. S., Kabir, M. P., Hossain, M. R., Alam, M. A., . . . Kabir, R. (2022). Mental health status of university students and working professionals during the early stage of COVID-19 in Bangladesh. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(11), 6834.
  19. Rasheduzzaman, M., Al Mamun, F., Faruk, M. O., Hosen, I., & Mamun, M. A. (2021). Depression in Bangladeshi university students: the role of sociodemographic, personal, and familial psychopathological factors. Perspectives in psychiatric care, 57(4), 1585-1594.
  20. Saravanan, C., & Wilks, R. (2014). Medical students’ experience of and reaction to stress: the role of depression and anxiety. The scientific world journal.
  21. Sarker, B. K., Gain, N., Saha, S. K., Mondal, N. B., & Ifte, I. (2024). A quantitative research of learning habits of secondary school students: An observational study in Dhaka Division. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 4(2), 117-127.
  22. Stallman, H. M. (2008). Prevalence of psychological distress in university students: Implications for service delivery. Australian Journal of General Practice, 37(8), 673.