Anxiety, Depression, and Satisfaction With Life Among College Students in China: Nine Months After Initiation of the Outbreak of COVID-19

Frontiers in Psychiatry

Psychiatry

Pei Xiao¹  Dongming Wang²  Wenzhen Li³  Zhiya Zhao³  Liang Chen⁴  Jincong Yu⁵  Xiaoqin Dong⁶ 

[1] Center for Non-communicable Disease Management, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China;Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China;Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China;Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China;Department of the Prevention and Treatment of Leprosy, Wuhan Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Wuhan, China;Education and Counseling Center for Psychological Health, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China;Wuhan Emergency Medical Center, Wuhan, China;

关键词: depression;    anxiety;    adolescent psychology;    epidemiology;    satisfaction with life;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyt.2021.777190

 received in 2021-09-15, accepted in 2021-12-03,  发布年份 2022

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Background/ObjectiveMental health problems are common among college students. This study sought to assess the prevalence and risk factors of depressive and anxiety symptoms and well-being among Chinese college students 9 months after initiation of the outbreak of COVID-19.MethodA cross-sectional study (N = 3,951, mean age = 19.58) was conducted from October to December 2020. An online survey was used to collect socio-demographic data, and the symptoms of depression and anxiety and satisfaction with life using Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item Scale (PHQ-9), and the 5-items Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).ResultsThe prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was 59.35 and 54.34%, respectively, and the score of satisfaction with life was 20.51 ± 6.42 among Chinese college students during the pandemic. After controlling for covariates, students in urban areas (AOR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.61–0.87), with good family economic levels (AOR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.66–0.91), and having psychological counseling (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.42–0.73) were positively associated with depression symptoms; meanwhile, higher anxiety symptoms were observed among medical students (AOR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.69–0.95). Besides, healthy lifestyle such as regular physical activity and diet was associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Multiple linear models revealed that medical students (β = 0.479, P = 0.031), those with good family economic level by self-evaluation (β = 1.283, P < 0.001 for good; β = 3.013, P < 0.001 for general), good academic performance by self-evaluation (β = 1.786, P < 0.001 for good; β = 3.386, P < 0.001 for general), learning burden (β = 1.607, P < 0.001 for general; β = 2.117, P < 0.001 for light), regular physical activity (β = 0.859, P < 0.001), daily routine (β = 1.289, P < 0.001), diet (β = 1.714, P < 0.001), and sufficient sleep (β = 1.408, P < 0.001) had more score of SWLS (all β > 0, P < 0.05), while senior students (β = −1.053, P=0.009), students having psychological counseling (β = −1.753, P < 0.001), and drinking (β = −0.743, P = 0.012) had lower satisfaction with life.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that more attention should be paid to psychological health among college students, especially during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Policy makers and educators should help college students develop a healthy lifestyle with regular diet and exercise to promote the psychological health of college students.

【 授权许可】

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Copyright © 2022 Xiao, Chen, Dong, Zhao, Yu, Wang and Li.