Prevalence of Depression in High School Students in Boukan City and Its Relatd Factors

Abstract

Background: Depression is a common psychiatric disorder and one of the four major disorders worldwide. It is also the leading cause of disability caused by diseases. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression in high school students in Boukan city and its related factors. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019 on 453 senior public high school students out of 6000 in Boukan city. The participants were selected through convenience sampling and included in the study after giving their informed consent. The research tools were the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory and a checklist containing the participants' demographic characteristics. We analyzed the data using SPSS 16, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and the logistic regression test. Results: In the study, we examined 453 samples of students with approximately equal gender frequencies (50.1% female and 49.9% male). The prevalence of depression in students was none or minimal depression (45.7%), mild (17.0%), moderate (25.2%), and severe (12.1%) depression. There were statistically significant relationships between the degree of students' depression and mother's job, parents' education levels, and duration of cyberspace use (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between students' gender, education levels, fields of study, father's job, students' physical activity, and degree of depression (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings indicate a significant prevalence of depression among high school students in Boukan city, with key related factors including mother's occupation, parents' education levels, and duration of cyberspace use; therefore, addressing these factors is essential in prevention programs and psychological support interventions.