Prevalence and Determinants of Depression among Secondary Level Students in Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

Background: Depression has been a common public health concern among school-going adolescents and youths. However, the status of depression is less studied among school students in Nepal. This study aims to address the research gap by assessing the prevalence and contributing factors among secondary-level students at public schools in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 296 secondary-level students of four government schools of Tokha Municipality, Kathmandu. The depression level was assessed using the Nepali version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, which was further supplemented by participants' demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Data were collected face-to-face using a self-administered questionnaire. Simple and multiple linear regression were carried out to identify factors associated with depression. A p-value and 95% confidence interval were used for statistical significance.

Findings: Out of 292 participants, the majority of respondents were female (57.2%) and belonged to the age group equal to or above 18 years. The prevalence of depression was found to be 25.3% where mild depression was relatively higher, accounting for almost half among the depressive respondents (11%). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that religion (β=3.39, 95% CI: 1.71; 5.06), worrying about the future (β=0.12, 95% CI: -2.24; 2.49), and being harassed in school/ college (β=3.8, 95% CI: 1.24; 6.35) were found to be associated with higher depression scores. Furthermore, living with family (β=-1.57, 95% CI: -3.08; -0.06) and problems sharing with friends (β=-2.26, 95% CI: -4.22; -0.29) were found to be associated with a lower depression score.

Conclusion: The study showed a substantial burden of depression among school-going adolescents. These findings highlight the need for further research on school-based programs that address mental health challenges.