Mwita Stanley, Ouma Mathew, Edwin Warren, Katabalo Deogratias, Marwa Karol
Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza 33102, Tanzania.
Department of Pharmacology, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza 33102, Tanzania.
Diseases. 2025 Aug 19;13(8):268. doi: 10.3390/diseases13080268.
University students are vulnerable to depression due to the transitional nature of their life stage, which often involves increased academic pressures and social changes. This study aims to examine the prevalence, symptoms, and associated risk factors for depressive symptoms among undergraduate students at non-medical universities.
This cross-sectional study was conducted at non-medical universities in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The presence and severity of depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II).
A total of 768 students participated in the study. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 35.7%. A significant proportion experienced loss of interest and pleasure ( = 516; 67.2%), felt easily tired ( = 373; 48.6%), and had difficulty making decisions ( = 303; 39.4%). A significant relationship was observed between age and depressive symptoms, with participants aged 25 and above reporting higher rates of depressive symptoms (53.2%) compared to those aged 18-24 (28.8%) ( < 0.001). Similarly, the year of study was significantly associated with depressive symptoms; fourth-year students had the highest proportion of depressive symptoms (64.3%), while first-year students had the lowest proportion (26.2%) ( < 0.001).
This study found that over one-third of undergraduate students in non-medical universities suffer from depressive symptoms. This high prevalence rate highlights an urgent need for targeted mental health interventions within university settings to prevent long-term academic, social, and psychological consequences. Campus counseling services should prioritize screening for key symptoms while developing stress-management programs tailored to academic progression challenges.
大学生因其生活阶段的过渡性而容易患上抑郁症，这一阶段往往伴随着学业压力增加和社会变化。本研究旨在调查非医科大学本科生抑郁症状的患病率、症状及相关风险因素。
本横断面研究在坦桑尼亚姆万扎地区的非医科大学进行。使用自填式结构化问卷收集数据。使用贝克抑郁量表（BDI-II）评估抑郁症状的存在情况和严重程度。
共有768名学生参与了该研究。抑郁症状的患病率为35.7%。很大一部分学生经历了兴趣和愉悦感丧失（n = 516；67.2%）、容易感到疲倦（n = 373；48.6%）以及难以做出决定（n = 303；39.4%）。观察到年龄与抑郁症状之间存在显著关系，25岁及以上的参与者报告的抑郁症状发生率（53.2%）高于18 - 24岁的参与者（28.8%）（P < 0.001）。同样，学习年份与抑郁症状显著相关；四年级学生的抑郁症状比例最高（64.3%），而一年级学生的比例最低（26.2%）（P < 0.001）。
本研究发现，非医科大学超过三分之一的本科生患有抑郁症状。如此高的患病率凸显了在大学环境中迫切需要针对性的心理健康干预措施，以防止长期的学业、社会和心理后果。校园咨询服务应在制定针对学业进展挑战的压力管理计划时，优先筛查关键症状。
