Prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese university students amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Estimates of the depression prevalence among Chinese university students vary considerably across studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively analyze the depression prevalence among Chinese university students. We searched four electronic databases with the search terms of depression, China, university student, and questionnaire. Studies reporting depression among Chinese university students were included in the analysis. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the qualities of the studies. The package of “meta” in R Foundation for Statistical Computing was used to calculate an overall proportion in a random-effects model with 95% confidence intervals. Subgroup analysis was conducted to analyze the influencing factors on the depression prevalence. Any conflict in the data analysis was discussed by all the reviewers. A total of 113 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of depression among Chinese university students was shown to be 28.4% (n = 185,787), with 95%CI from 25.7 to 31.2%. The overall depression prevalence among Chinese university students was still relatively high. More efforts need to be done to provide better mental healthcare to university students in China.

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Frequency of breakfast consumption is inversely associated with the risk of depressive symptoms among Chinese university students: A cross-sectional study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0222014 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (8) ◽

pp. e0222014 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhihong Zhu ◽

Yufei Cui ◽

Qiang Gong ◽

Cong Huang ◽

Feng Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Breakfast Consumption ◽

Chinese University ◽

Chinese University Students

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Prevalence and correlates of PTSD and depressive symptoms one month after the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in a sample of home-quarantined Chinese university students

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.009 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 274 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Wanjie Tang ◽

Tao Hu ◽

Baodi Hu ◽

Chunhan Jin ◽

Gang Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

Chinese University ◽

Chinese University Students

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Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms Among University Students in Pakistan: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2020.603357 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Muhammad Naeem Khan ◽

Parveen Akhtar ◽

Saira Ijaz ◽

Ahmed Waqas

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

Large Scale ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Subgroup Differences ◽

Epidemiological Surveys ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Study Characteristics

Background: In Pakistan, almost 30% population is between 15 to 29 years of age, with university enrollment rates of 10–15%. Although there is a growing concern on mental health of university students across the globe, studies from low and middle income countries such as Pakistan are scarce. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence of depressive symptoms among Pakistani university students.Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo and Google Scholar were searched between 15 to 30th January 2020. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, published till 31st December 2019 were included. Data on study characteristics and prevalence of depressive symptoms were extracted. Meta-analysis was conducted using random effects models. To estimate subgroup difference based on study characteristics, meta-regression and sub-group analyses were conducted.Results: In total, 26 studies involving 7,652 participants were included in review. Overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 42.66% (95% CI: 34.82% to 50.89%), with significant heterogeneity among studies. Subgroup analyses revealed a significant difference in prevalence estimates based on depression screening instrument and study major. Statistically significant differences were observed among studies employing different psychometric scales (test for subgroup differences, Q = 21.92, p < 0.05) and between students from different study majors (test for subgroup differences, Q = 3.76, p = 0.05).Conclusion: Our study found that overall prevalence of depressive symptoms among university students in Pakistan was 42.66%, however, findings should be interpreted with caution. Large scale epidemiological surveys using valid and reliable tools are needed to better estimate prevalence of depression among Pakistani university students.

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Social Support and Suicide Risk Among Chinese University Students: A Mental Health Perspective

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.566993 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Haiyun Chu ◽

Yanjie Yang ◽

Jiawei Zhou ◽

Wenbo Wang ◽

Xiaohui Qiu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

Indirect Effect ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

World Health ◽

Chinese University ◽

Chinese University Students ◽

The Impact

Background: World Health Organization recognizes suicide as a public health priority. This study aimed to investigate the risk life events which led university students to consider suicide and explore the protective mechanism of social support (including subjective support, objective support, and support utilization) on suicide risk.Methods: Three thousand nine hundred and seventy-two university students were recruited in Harbin, China. Social Support Rating Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the 25-item scale of suicide acceptability were used to collect participants' information. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and mediation analysis were employed for statistical analysis.Results: “Drug addict,” “infected with HIV,” and “incurable illness” were the top three events that led university students to consider suicide. Social support played an important protective role against suicide risk. Subjective support and support utilization had total effects on suicide acceptability, including direct and indirect effects. Anxiety (indirect effect = −0.022, 95% CI = −0.037 ~ −0.009) and depressive symptoms (indirect effect = −0.197, 95% CI = −0.228 ~ −0.163) mediated the relationship between subjective support and suicide acceptability; meanwhile, the association between support utilization and suicide acceptability was mediated by anxiety (indirect effect = −0.054, 95% CI = −0.088 ~ −0.024) and depressive symptoms (indirect effect = −0.486, 95% CI = −0.558 ~ −0.422). However, the protective impact of objective support worked totally through decreasing anxiety (indirect effect = −0.018, 95% CI = −0.035 ~ −0.006) and depressive symptoms (indirect effect = −0.196, 95% CI = −0.246 ~ −0.143). Moreover, the mediation effects of depressive symptoms had stronger power than anxiety in the impact of social support on suicide risk.Conclusions: Among Chinese university students, suicide acceptability was elevated when there was a health scare. Social support effectively reduced suicide risk via decreasing anxiety and depressive symptoms. From the mental health perspective, families, peers, teachers, and communities should work together to establish a better social support system for university students, if necessary, help them to seek professional psychological services.

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Assessing Knowledge, Preventive Practices, and Depression among Chinese University Students in Korea and China during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Cross-Sectional Study

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9040433 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 433

Author(s):

Bo Zhao ◽

Fanlei Kong ◽

Eun Woo Nam

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

South Korea ◽

Mainland China ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Preventive Practices ◽

Chinese University ◽

Chinese University Students

To investigate the knowledge, preventive practices, and depression of Chinese university students living in South Korea and Mainland China during the COVID-19 outbreak and explore the determinants of depression among these students, an online cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted from 23 March to 12 April 2020. The online questionnaire included questions on knowledge and preventive practices related to COVID-19, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to diagnose depressive symptoms. A total of 420 Chinese university students were finally included in the study (171 students from South Korea and 249 students from Mainland China). The majority of these students had a good level of knowledge of COVID-19. Students living in South Korea displayed better preventive practices than those living in Mainland China; however, the proportion of students (28.7%) with moderate-to-severe depression in this group was relatively higher than that (18.9%) of the Mainland Group (χ2 = 5.50, p < 0.05). More severe depression was related to high levels of concern about family members and contracting COVID-19 as well as suspecting themselves of having come into contact with patients. Displaying more preventive behaviors decreased the depressive symptoms in both groups. These data could be used as a reference for further studies in different regions to take measures (e.g., psychological counseling and encouragement for physical activities) to reduce depressive symptoms in university students.

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Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Ideation in Chinese University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.669833 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Shuang-Jiang Zhou ◽

Lei-Lei Wang ◽

Meng Qi ◽

Xing-Jie Yang ◽

Lan Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Graduate Students ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

University Students ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Chinese University ◽

Chinese University Students

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has seriously threatened the global public health security and caused a series of mental health problem. Current research focuses mainly on mental health status and related factors in the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese university students. Data from 11133 participants was obtained through an online survey. The Patient Health Question-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms, the Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS) was used to assess social support. We also used 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) to assess anxiety symptoms. Totally, 37.0% of the subjects were experiencing depressive symptoms, 24.9% anxiety symptoms, 20.9% comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms, and 7.3% suicidal ideation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed an increased presence of mental health problems in female students, graduate students, and those with personal COVID-19 exposure. Awareness of COVID-19, living with family were protective factors that reduced anxiety and depression symptoms. In addition, male, personal COVID-19 exposure, depressive and anxiety symptoms were risk factors for suicidal ideation. Social support, COVID-19 preventive and control measures, prediction of COVID-19 trends, living with family and graduate students are protective factors for reducing suicidal ideation.

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Prevalence of Depression among Chinese University Students: A Meta-Analysis

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0153454 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e0153454 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Xian-Yang Lei ◽

La-Mei Xiao ◽

Ya-Nan Liu ◽

Ya-Min Li

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Chinese University ◽

Prevalence Of Depression ◽

Chinese University Students

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Prevalence of negative emotional eating and its associated psychosocial factors among urban Chinese undergraduates in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10531-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Katherine Y. P. Sze ◽

Eric K. P. Lee ◽

Rufina H. W. Chan ◽

Jean H. Kim

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

Emotional Eating ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Mild Stress ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Chinese University ◽

Chinese University Students

Abstract Background Emotional eating (EE), defined as eating in response to a range of emotions, has been previously associated with poor diet and obesity. Since there are limited data from non-Western populations, this study aims to examine the prevalence and factors associated with EE among urban Chinese university students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 424 university students (aged 18–24 years) from two large universities in Hong Kong in 2019. Respondents completed an anonymous online questionnaire that contained background questions, an emotional eating subscale of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ), and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21). Two-sample independent t-test and multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the association of study variables with negative emotional eating. Results There was over a three-fold higher likelihood of negative EE among females (14.8%) when compared with their male counterparts (4.5%) (OR = 3.7, p < 0.05). Having at least mild depressive symptoms was the only independent factor associated with negative EE among males (OR = 10.1) while for females, negative EE was independently associated with not having a romantic partner (OR = 3.45), having depressive symptoms (OR = 44.5), and having at least mild stress (OR = 5.65). Anxiety levels were not independently associated with negative EE for either gender. Both male and female students with negative EE had significantly lower self-perceived health scores, higher body mass index, and lower life satisfaction scores. Conclusions This study revealed that negative EE is prevalent among female Chinese university students and not uncommon among male students. Management of negative EE should be included as a component of university mental health promotion programmes in the region.

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