Prevalence of depression, anxiety and associated factors among school going adolescents in Bangladesh: Findings from a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Common mental disorders in early life represent a major concern as they become more complex and intense with transition into adolescence. Despite global recognition of the significance of adolescent mental health, it remains a neglected area in research and health policy in Bangladesh. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with depression and anxiety among school going adolescents in Bangladesh. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 563 students aged 13–18 years at selected schools (secondary and higher secondary) in Dhaka City. After providing written informed consent, participants completed a survey examining socio-demographic variables, along with the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between variables under examination. Results The prevalence rates of moderate to severe levels of depression and anxiety were 26.5% and 18.1%, respectively. Based on multivariable analyses, unsatisfactory sleep (AOR = 3.17; 95% CI = 1.81–5.53, p < .001), cigarette smoking (AOR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.01–3.97, p = .048), and anxiety (AOR = 10.47; 95% CI = 6.11–17.95, p < .001) were associated with depression. Anxiety was associated with being 15–16 years (AOR = 2.66; 95% CI = 1.18–6.00, p = .018), not having good perceived relationships with friends (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.24–3.56, p = .006) and depression (AOR = 10.22; 95% CI = 6.01–17.38, p < .001). Conclusions Depression and anxiety were prevalent among school going adolescents in Bangladesh. The findings suggest epidemiological data can direct policy-level decisions regarding evaluation, prevention, and intervention of mental health conditions among school going adolescents in Bangladesh.

Prevalence and correlates of anxiety and depression in frontline healthcare workers treating people with COVID-19 in Bangladesh

“…In the present study, participants who did not engage in physical exercising compared to those who did were more likely to endorse anxiety and depression, similar to prior studies conducted in Bangladesh [ 39 , 56 , 59 , 62 ]. HCWs who smoked cigarettes were more likely to be anxious and depressed than non-smokers, also consistent with previous studies [ 63 – 66 ]. A pre-COVID-19 study among medical staff in Greece similarly showed significant associations with anxiety and depression [ 67 ].…”

“…The present study revealed that anxiety and depression were strongly associated with each other ( r = 0.64). Anxiety and depression frequently co-occur [ 82 ], including in Bangladeshi groups [ 39 , 56 , 66 , 83 ].…”

Psychological states of Bangladeshi people and associated factors during the outbreak of COVID-19: A cross-sectional survey

“…In addition, findings of the correlation analysis between the SAS and SDS standard scores showed that people with anxiety were likely to be depressed, and individuals with depression were also likely to be anxious which corroborate with earlier reports ( Islam et al., 2020 ; Islam et al., 2021 ; Islam et al., 2020 ; Islam et al., 2020 ; Kalin, 2020 ; Tasnim et al., 2021 ). Similar findings were found among Chinese people during the outbreak of COVID-19 (Y.…”

Mental Health Concerns, Insomnia, and Loneliness Among Intern Doctors Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Large Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh

“…Responses were collapsed into a dichotomous form: good (i.e., excellent/very good/good) and fair/poor (i.e., poor/fair) (Ahmed et al, 2020 ). In addition, “yes/no” questions were asked during the survey with regard to physical exercise and current cigarette smoking (Islam et al, 2021 , 2021 , 2020 ; Rahman et al, 2020 ).…”