scholarly journals The Prevalence and Factors Associated with Mental Distress among College Students in Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

1970 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tesfalem Teshome Tessema ◽  
Temesgen Abdi Gebremariam ◽  
Etaferahu Alemayehu Abebe ◽  
Etaferahu Alemayehu Abebe

BACKGROUND: Although mental health problems affect the general population, students are highly vulnerable to psychological disorders. Mental distress among students is a cause of concern as it may impair their behavior and diminish learning, which could negatively affect their academic performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and the factors associated with mental distress among college students in Southern Ethiopia.METHODS: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 280 regular students of Hawassa College of Health Sciences. Mental distress was measured using a Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). The data were entered into Epi-Info version 3.5.4 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. Multivariable logistic analysis was performed following bivariate analysis to adjust for the effect of confounders.RESULT: The prevalence of mental distress among the study subjects was found to be 59 (22.30%). Female students were 2.08 times more likely to have mental distress as compared to male students (AOR =2.08 [95% CI: 1.14-3.82]). The odds of mental distress among third-year students was 60% lower compared to second-year students [AOR = 0.40; 95 % CI, (0.19, 0.87)]. Students who were from Amhara ethnic group were 3.37 times more likely to have mental distress as compared to students from Sidama ethnic group [AOR=3.37;95%CI (1.13-10.09)]. Moreover, students who had Grade Point Average of below 60% were 4.69 times more likely to be mentally distressed as compared to those students who scored Grade Point Average of greater or equal to 60% (AOR= 4.69; 95%CI,[ 2.46, 8.96).CONCLUSION: The finding suggests the importance of providing mental health counseling support for students as part of the teaching and learning process. More research to further explore the multiple factors influencing students’ mental health condition should also be conducted.

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 832-840
Author(s):  
Katti Sathaporn ◽  
Jarurin Pitanupong

Objective: To determine the level of and factors associated with empathy among medical students.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed all first- to sixth-year medical students at the Facultyof Medicines, Prince of Songkla University, at the end of the 2020 academic year. The questionnaires consisted of:1) The personal and demographic information questionnaire, 2) The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire, and 3) ThaiMental Health Indicator-15. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and factors associated with empathylevel were assessed via chi-square and logistic regression analyses.Results: There were 1010 participants with response rate of 94%. Most of them were female (59%). More than half(54.9%) reported a high level of empathy. There was a statistically significant difference in empathy levels betweenpre-clinical and clinical medical students; in regards to empathy subgroups (P-value < 0.001). The assessment ofemotional states in others by demonstrating appropriate sensitivity behavior, altruism, and empathic respondingscores among the pre-clinical group were higher than those of the clinical group. Multivariate analysis indicatedthat female gender, pre-clinical training level, and minor specialty preference were factors associated with empathylevel. The protective factor that significantly improved the level of empathy was having fair to good mental health.Conclusion: More than half of the surveyed medical students reported a high level of empathy. The protective factorthat improved the level of empathy was good mental health. However, future qualitative methods, longitudinalsurveillance, or long-term follow-up designs are required to ensure the trustworthiness of these findings.


2010 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Gilkey ◽  
Thomas J. Keefe ◽  
Jennifer L. Peel ◽  
Osama M. Kassab ◽  
Catherine A. Kennedy

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dereseh BA ◽  
◽  
Abraha M ◽  
Haile K ◽  
Fanta T ◽  
...  

Background: Since December 2019, an outbreak of corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has widely and rapidly spread in China and around the world. Since 31 December 2019 and as of 30 April 2020, more than 25,000,000 cases of COVID-19 and 800,000 deaths have been reported. The grim epidemic has caused increasing public panic and mental health stress. Mental health is becoming an issue that cannot be ignored, while trying to control the outbreak. Cross sectional study was conducted to assess magnitude and factors associated depression among patients with COVID-19 in St. Peter Specialized Hospital Treatment Centers Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 Patients with COVID-19 admitted at St. Peter Specialized Hospital COVID-19 treatment center. The Anxiety and Depression was assessed through face to face interviews by trained psychiatry nurses using 14-items Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).Correlates for depression & anxiety were assessed using a structured questionnaire and Oslo social support scale. Result: A total of 373 participants were volunteer to be included in the study which makes the response rate88.4%. The mean age of the respondents was 37.46 (±SD=16.09) years. This study revealed that the Magnitude of Depression 36.5 % (136) and Anxiety 21.2 % (79) among COVID-19 patients. By using Multivariate (Anxiety) Logistic Regression, Patients who were Male (AOR 5.01, 95%CI (2.11, 11.87)), Housewife (AOR 11.43, 95%CI ( 2.67, 48.90)), Selfemployed (AOR 2.45,, 95%CI (1.07, 5.60)), having Diagnosed Chronic illness (AOR 2.56, 95%CI (1.19, 5.53)), having COVID-19 Symptoms for below 7 days and for 8-14 days ((AOR 3.21, 95%CI (1.21, 8.58)) & AOR 3.70, 95%CI (1.55, 8.84)) respectively) and those who had Poor/low Social Support (AOR 3.42, 95%CI (1.21, 9.63)) had Statistically Significant Association with Anxiety. By using Multivariate (Depression) Logistic Regression, Patients who were 41 and above years of old (AOR 3.95, 95% CI (1.80, 8.69)), had Monthly Income of less than 1000 birr (AOR 2.99, 95%CI (1.11, 8.05)), Having COVID-19 Symptoms for 8-14 days (AOR 2.63, 95% CI (1.34, 5.17)) and who had Poor Social Support (AOR 3.13, 95% CI (1.34, 7.30)) were Statistically Significant Associated with Depression. Conclusion: In the current study area the magnitude of depression and anxiety was high. Factors like sex, Job, having Diagnosed Chronic illness, Duration of COVID-19 symptom and social support with anxiety and factors such as age, income, duration of COVID-19 symptom and social support had statistically significant associated with depression.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (07) ◽  
pp. 626-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hashir Aazh ◽  
Brian C. J. Moore

AbstractThe purpose was to assess the proportion of patients seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis who have severe hyperacusis and to examine factors associated with severe hyperacusis.This was a retrospective cross-sectional study based on 362 consecutive patients who attended a National Health Service audiology clinic for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis rehabilitation and for whom uncomfortable loudness levels (ULLs) had been measured. The criterion for severe hyperacusis was taken as a ULL of 30 dB HL or less for at least one of the measured frequencies for at least one ear.Thirteen patients had severe hyperacusis, and eight of those had normal hearing. The lowest average ULL across frequencies was 28 dB HL. The difference in average ULLs between ears was 5 dB or less for nine patients. The range of ULLs across frequencies was between 5 and 60 dB, ULLs often being lowest at 8 kHz. Eleven patients had tinnitus, eight had otological abnormalities, twelve had mental health problems, and six were taking antidepressants.Severe hyperacusis is characterized by low ULLs for specific frequencies and no or mild hearing loss. Given the high incidence of tinnitus, otological abnormalities, and mental health problems, the management of patients with severe hyperacusis should involve otologists and psychiatrists in addition to audiologists.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvir Abir ◽  
Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah ◽  
L Osuagwu Uchechukwu ◽  
Dewan Muhammad Nur-A Yazdani ◽  
Taha Husain ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundFeelings of isolation, insecurity, and instability triggered by COVID-19 could have a long-term impact on the mental health status of individuals. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with the mental health symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.MethodsFrom 1st – 30th April 2020, we used a validated self-administered questionnaire to conduct a cross-sectional study on 10,609 participants through an online survey platform. We assessed mental health status using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The total depression, anxiety, and stress subscale scores were divided into normal, mild, moderate, severe, and multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associated factors.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms was 15%, 34%, and 15% for mild, moderate, and severe depressive symptoms, respectively. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 59% for severe anxiety symptoms, 14% for moderate anxiety symptoms, and 14% for mild anxiety symptoms while, the prevalence for stress levels were 16% for severe stress level, 22% for moderate stress level and 13% for mild stress level. Multivariate analyses revealed that the most consistent factors associated with mild, moderate, and severe of the three mental health subscales (depression, anxiety, and stress) were respondents who lived in Dhaka and Rangpur division, females, those who self-quarantine in the previous 7 days before the survey and those respondents who experienced chills, breathing difficulty, dizziness, and sore throat.ConclusionOur results showed that about 64%, 87%, and 61% experienced depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and levels of stress, respectively. In Bangladesh, there is a need for better mental health support for females especially those that lived in Dhaka and Rangpur division and experienced chills, breathing difficulty, dizziness, and sore throat during COVID-19 and other future pandemics.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e043728
Author(s):  
Makiko Arima ◽  
Yusuke Takamiya ◽  
Atsuko Furuta ◽  
Kris Siriratsivawong ◽  
Shizuma Tsuchiya ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on university students, including those in medical schools, with disruption in routine education causing significant psychological distress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with psychological distress among medical students during the period of enforced home quarantine from March through May 2020.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingOne Japanese medical school.Participants571 medical students.Primary and secondary outcome measuresSelf-administered electronic questionnaires including the K-6 scale for psychological distress, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) for self-esteem and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) for self-efficacy were distributed. To assess the determinant factor for psychological distress, variables such as sex, grade in school, living conditions, and RSES and GSES scores were evaluated in regression analysis.Results163 respondents (28.5%) scored ≥5 on the K-6 scale, indicating a significant degree of psychological distress. Logistic regression revealed that a higher score on RSES (p<0.001) and GSES (p<0.01) was an independent factor associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Multiple regression analysis focusing on students with a K-6 score ≥5 revealed that higher scores on RSES correlated with lower levels of psychological distress. By contrast, those with higher GSES scores also scored higher for indicators of psychological distress.ConclusionsThis study identified that self-efficacy and self-esteem were both influential factors for predicting psychological distress during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Medical schools should provide support for mental health and educational initiatives directed at enhancing self-esteem and self-efficacy, with a focus on improving personal resilience. In emergency situations, such as that faced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, initial programmes might target students with higher levels of self-efficacy. By contrast, under routine situations, these efforts should be directed towards students with lower self-esteem as primary means to prevent depression.


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