ALPHA PSYCHIATRY
Original Articles

Investigation of depressive symptom prevalence and affecting factors in high school students: an epidemiological research

1.

Dokuz Eylul niversitesi, Hemsirelik Fakultesi Psikiyatri Hemsireligi Anabilim Dali, 35340, Inciralti Izmir, Turkiye

2.

Dokuz Eylul niversitesi, Hemsirelik Fakultesi Psikiyatri Hemsireligi Anabilim Dali, 35340, Inciralti Izmir, Turkiye

Alpha Psychiatry 2020; 21: 203-210
DOI: 10.5455/apd.54064
Read: 960 Downloads: 518 Published: 01 April 2020

Objective: The present study was aimed at determining the prevalence of depressive symptoms in high school students and to investigate the factors affecting these symptoms. Methods: The study was conducted with 755 high schools students aged between 14-18 years. The students were attending an Anatolian high school and a vocational technical Anatolian high school in Izmir and the participation rate was 69.5%. The study data were collected using the sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire and Children’s Depression Inventory. Age, gender, presence of a physical illness, income level, education levels of the parents, occupations of the parents, whether the parents are divorced and presence of physical illness in parents were examined as the affecting factors. The binary logistic regression analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. Results: In this study, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 41.9%. As the result of binary logistic regression analysis it was found that the risk of depressive symptoms was higher in girls, low-income students, vocational high-school students and mother's physical illnesses. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in girls, those whose income level was low, those who were students attending the Vocational Technical Anatolian School and those whose mother’s has physical illnesses. This model used in the study accounted for statistically significant 30% of prevalence of depressive symptoms and the model was able to accurately predict 74.8%the presence of depressive symptoms. Discussion: It was determined that depressive symptoms were common in high school students. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that students with a high risk of depressive symptoms should be regularly screened for depression, adolescents and their families should be informed about depression, and more depression prevention programs should be held in schools. [Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg 2020; 21(2.000): 203-210]

Files
EISSN 2757-8038