Pratummanee Waluwan, Sangsuwan Tharntip, Jatchavala Chonnakarn, Sirirak Thanitha
Department of Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand.
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 20;16:1555361. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1555361. eCollection 2025.
Depression is a serious mental health concern in Thailand and a leading cause of psychological and physical impairment. Untreated depression can progress to more severe disorders. University students, in particular, must navigate developmental stages and pedagogical approaches to higher education curricula. Without appropriate intervention, depression in this population may progress to more severe depressive disorders. This study examined the prevalence, associated factors, and health service utilization patterns among first-year university students experiencing depression.
This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey among first-year students in southern Thailand three months into the semester, following the government's approval to transition COVID-19 to an endemic disease in 2022. The survey collected data on demographic information, factors associated with depression, and mental health services access behavior. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were performed for data analysis.
A total of 1,611 students participated in the study, 80.3% of whom were female, with an age range of 18-20 years (mean: 19.4, SD: 1.12). The prevalence of depression was 37.5%, with severity levels distributed as follows: moderate (21.4%), moderate to severe (11.4%), and severe (4.7%). Protective factors against depression included a grade point average (GPA) of 2.00-2.49 or 4.00, attending private schools, being single, having close relationships with friends and partners, and following a healthy diet, and moderate to high self-confidence was associated with an increased likelihood of depression. Most participants did not consider seeing a psychiatrist troublesome or embarrassing, either for themselves or others. Moreover, they did not perceive the process of accessing mental health services in Thailand as complicated. However, they did not tend to seek mental health information online or from friends, teachers, parents or guardians.
The prevalence of depression among participants from southern universities in Thailand that are members of the ASEAN University Network-Health Promotion Network during the first three months of the academic year was 37.5%. Protective and risk factors included GPA, high school type, presence of a partner, relationships with friends and partners, eating habits, and self-confidence. Although students generally perceived mental health services as accessible, many were unaware of university-provided services and did not seek mental health information from close contacts such as parents, guardians, teachers, or friends.
抑郁症是泰国一个严重的心理健康问题，也是心理和身体损伤的主要原因。未经治疗的抑郁症可能会发展为更严重的疾病。尤其是大学生，必须应对高等教育课程的发展阶段和教学方法。如果没有适当的干预，这一人群中的抑郁症可能会发展为更严重的抑郁症。本研究调查了患有抑郁症的大学一年级学生的患病率、相关因素和卫生服务利用模式。
这项横断面研究采用在线调查的方式，于2022年政府批准将新冠肺炎转变为地方病后的学期第三个月，对泰国南部的一年级学生进行。该调查收集了人口统计学信息、与抑郁症相关的因素以及心理健康服务获取行为的数据。对数据进行描述性统计和逻辑回归分析。
共有1611名学生参与了该研究，其中80.3%为女性，年龄在18至20岁之间（平均：19.4，标准差：1.12）。抑郁症的患病率为37.5%，严重程度分布如下：中度（21.4%）、中度至重度（11.4%）和重度（4.7%）。预防抑郁症的保护因素包括平均绩点（GPA）为2.00 - 2.49或4.00、就读私立学校、单身、与朋友和伴侣关系密切、遵循健康饮食，而中度至高度自信与抑郁症发生可能性增加有关。大多数参与者认为自己或他人看精神科医生既不麻烦也不尴尬。此外，他们不认为在泰国获取心理健康服务的过程复杂。然而，他们不倾向于从网上或从朋友、老师、父母或监护人那里寻求心理健康信息。
在学年的前三个月，泰国南部属于东盟大学网络 - 健康促进网络的大学中，参与者的抑郁症患病率为37.5%。保护因素和风险因素包括GPA、高中类型、伴侣的存在、与朋友和伴侣的关系、饮食习惯和自信心。尽管学生们普遍认为心理健康服务容易获得，但许多人不知道学校提供的服务，也没有从父母、监护人、老师或朋友等亲密联系人那里寻求心理健康信息。
