Prevalence and related factors of depression among undergraduate students in Da Nang city, Vietnam

Abstract

Depression is a mental disorder that has become more prevalent recently. Several studies have been conducted all over the world and in Vietnam, however, few studies have been conducted in Da Nang - the biggest city in the center of Vietnam. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and related factors of depression among undergraduate students in Da Nang city, Vietnam. This was a cross-sectional study where 401 students were selected from Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy by using two stages stratified sampling method. The questionnaire includes general characteristics, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), life events, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), and Academic Expectations Stress Inventory (AESI). Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to identify the association between internal factors, external factors, and depression by using SPSS software. Results showed that the prevalence of depression among undergraduate students was 41.6%. Depression was significantly associated with age, year of study, financial status, health status, motivation to study, life events, relationship with parents, relationship with friends, academic expectations, and accessibility to mental healthcare services. The prevalence of depression among undergraduate students in Da Nang is higher compared to the general population. These results have highlighted the situation of depression and provided information to policymakers and other stakeholders for future actions.