Symptoms and risk factors for depression among college Freshmen students
1 Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
2 General Pediatric, Ain Al-Khaleej Hospital, Al-Ain, Abu-Dhabi, UAE.
3 Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 14(01), 601–606
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.14.1.0379
Publication history:
Received on 25 March 2022; revised on 26 April 2022; accepted on 28 April 2022
Abstract:
Introduction: Depression is an illness with a combination of associated symptoms of which the dominant one is a depressed mood of mind accompanied by the feeling of sadness and/or anxiety and/or irritability. It is a lengthy illness (lasting at least 2 weeks).
Objective: The study aimed to describe the symptoms and risk factors for depression among adolescent males and females of college freshman students.
Methodology & results: this is a descriptive observational and cross-sectional community–based study that was conducted on 200 college freshmen students in 4 medical colleges (medicine, dentistry, pharmacology and nursery) at the International University of Africa at Khartoum state in 2014. The age group was 16 – 19 years.
The study revealed that 20 (10%) students felt sad, 16 (8%) felt anxious, 57 (28.5%) felt empty, 64 (32%) felt hopeless, 49 (24.5%) felt guilty, 24 (12%) felt worthless, 70 (35%) felt helpless, 21 (10.5%) felt irritable and 39 (19.5%) felt restless. Also, one or more of the following; loss of interest in activities 68 (34%), lack of energy 90 (45%), problem concentrating, remembering information or making decisions 75 (37.5%), problems falling asleep or sleeping too much 102 (51%), loss of appetite or eating too much 46 (23%), thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts 9 (4.5%) and aches, pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not go away 30 (15%).
The risk factors include fear of failure, demands on time, financial pressures, low self-esteem, separation of their usual network support and poor coping strategies.
Recommendations: It was recommended to provide each college with a social worker/psychiatric nurse to early recognize the symptoms and risk factors for depression in first-year college freshmen, observe their behavior, educate them and their teachers and families about the symptoms and risk factors for depression and early recognition/prevention of depression and suicide.
Keywords:
Symptoms; Risk Factors; Depression; College Freshmen
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