Prevalence and Factors Related to Depressive Symptoms among University Students : From the Honam District, Korea / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the prevalence of depressive symptoms and co-variates among university students in Honam district, Korea. METHODS: One thousand seven hundred and thirty (792 male and 938 female) university students were randomly selected to participate in a survey. Subjects were administered self-report questionnaires : Beck Depression Inventory, Life Experience Survey, Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 14.9% overall, and 10.8% in males, 18.3% in females. In stepwise multiple regression analysis, satisfaction with life (β=-0.405, R²=0.257, p<0.001), stress (β=0.212, R²=0.312, p<0.001), suicidal attempt (β=0.133, R²=0.349, p<0.001) and female gender (β=-0.108, R²=0.358, p<0.001) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Among life stress factors, worry about employment, maladaptation of major field of study, appearance and body shape, lack of time and academic achievement were significantly associated, over r=0.25 with depression in sequence (r=0.256 to r=0.321). CONCLUSION: This study showed very high prevalence of depressive symptoms among university students in Honam district, Korea. Intensive mental health promotion programs to prevent depression and early detection of depressive symptoms appear needed to improve mental health status for university students.

Comparison of Stress and Life Satisfaction Between Non-Medical and Medical College Students / 정신신체의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to investigate any differences between non-medical and medical college students for : 1) a level and the nature of perceived stress, 2) a level of life satisfaction, and 3) the related factors affecting to life satisfaction. METHODS: We measured self-reported questionnaires of stress, satisfaction with life, health behavior including happiness, alcohol use, nicotine dependency and depressive symptoms in 1,714(863 non-medical and 851 medical) college students. RESULTS: Non-medical college students had significantly higher total stress scores than medical college students(chi2=7.66, p<.001). In non-medical college students, employment problem score was significantly higher than medical college students(t=4.07, p<.001). In medical college students, the scores of academic achievement (t=-3.81, p<.001), change of social life(t=-2.03, p<.05), death(t=-2.05, p<.05) or sickness(t=-2.60, p<.05) of friends were significantly higher than non-medical college students. And non-medical college students showed significantly lower life satisfaction scores than medical college students(chi2=-19.05, p<.001). We also found that life satisfaction were significantly related to happiness in non-medical college students(beta=.410, R2=.325, p<.001) and depressive symptoms in medical college students(beta=-.435, R2=.326, p<.001) by stepwise multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a level and the nature of perceived stress, a level of life satisfaction, and the related factors affecting to life satisfaction showed definitely differences between non-medical and medical college students. We suggest with our findings that specified mental health promotion program need for the college student's mental health management.