RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the prevalence of depression and its major risk factors among high school students in Nanjing, China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A population-based cross sectional study was conducted between October 2004 and December 2004. 168 classes from 56 schools were randomly selected in thirteen administrative districts/counties of Nanjing, China. Data from a total number of 7161 eligible students including 71.0% from junior high school and 29.0% from senior high school students with 49.4% boys and 50.6% girls. Among them 47.6% from urban and 52.4% from rural area. The response rate was 92.5%.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall prevalence of depression was 14.8% in this sample which was higher in boys (16.4%) than in girls (13.0%). There was no significant difference between junior and senior high school students (14.6% vs. 15.4%) or between age groups and urban rural residence. The identified major risk factors would include: lack of interest on learning, unmet academic achievements, lack of self-estimated capability of competence, too much burden on learning, lack of close friends, badving relation with friends/relatives, indifferent attitude towards friends/relatives, status of parents employment, and family structure.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence of depression was 14.8%, which was close to the figure in Asian-American high school students. More attention should be paid on the issue of mental health in high school students under the rapid transition of society, economy, life style and ideas in China.</p>