TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of Distress and Depression and Related Health and Behavioural Factors in the Student Population of Latvia during the COVID-19 Outbreak
AU - Vorobjova, Julija
AU - Pilaga, Sindija Mairita
AU - Gustsone, Beatrise Elizabete
AU - Rancans, Elmars
AU - Smirnova, Daria
AU - Fountoulakis, Konstantinos N.
AU - Vrublevska, Jelena
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Julija Vorobjova et al., published by Sciendo.
PY - 2023/2/1
Y1 - 2023/2/1
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic, which has spread across the world, has made an impact on every student's ordinary life and mental health, from studying conditions, internship, employment to freedom of movement. This was a cross-sectional study where Latvian university and college students were asked to fill the self-report online questionnaire developed as part of an international study. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic and investigate clinical depression, distress and identify the predicting factors. Depression and distress were determined using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) with a previously developed algorithm and cut-off scores. The statistical analysis included the Pearson's chi-square test and binomial logistic regression. The study included 1047 students. The prevalence of distress was 18% (n =188) and prevalence of depression was 33.8% (n = 354). Depression was more common among women-35.9 % (n = 298). Risk factors for depression were poor quality of sleep (OR = 8.31), unemployment (OR = 1.42), excessive internet usage (OR = 7.17), thoughts about death (OR = 12.14), and suicidal behaviour (OR = 4.99). Physical activities operated as a protective measure to prevent depression. This study potentially could help to develop a plan in the future for dealing with psychological support for the student population.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic, which has spread across the world, has made an impact on every student's ordinary life and mental health, from studying conditions, internship, employment to freedom of movement. This was a cross-sectional study where Latvian university and college students were asked to fill the self-report online questionnaire developed as part of an international study. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic and investigate clinical depression, distress and identify the predicting factors. Depression and distress were determined using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) with a previously developed algorithm and cut-off scores. The statistical analysis included the Pearson's chi-square test and binomial logistic regression. The study included 1047 students. The prevalence of distress was 18% (n =188) and prevalence of depression was 33.8% (n = 354). Depression was more common among women-35.9 % (n = 298). Risk factors for depression were poor quality of sleep (OR = 8.31), unemployment (OR = 1.42), excessive internet usage (OR = 7.17), thoughts about death (OR = 12.14), and suicidal behaviour (OR = 4.99). Physical activities operated as a protective measure to prevent depression. This study potentially could help to develop a plan in the future for dealing with psychological support for the student population.
KW - anxiety
KW - lockdown
KW - mental health
KW - pandemic
KW - predictors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85150045586&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2478/prolas-2023-0002
DO - 10.2478/prolas-2023-0002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85150045586
SN - 1407-009X
VL - 77
SP - 15
EP - 23
JO - Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Section B: Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Section B: Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences
IS - 1
ER -
