Depression, anxiety, and insomnia among Peruvian university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study is to evaluate the frequency of depression, anxiety, and insomnia, and their respective associated factors in students of Peruvian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Students from 15 Peruvian universities (Private universities: 10, public universities: 5) participated, 72.3% located in Lima city, and the remaining fraction located in other cities of the country. The evaluation of depression, anxiety, and insomnia was performed with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), “Generalized anxiety disorder” (GAD-7), and “Insomnia Severity Index” (ISI), respectively. Data collection was carried out from June to September 2021. Results: A total of 792 students with a median age of 22 years (Q3=23, Q1=21) participated. Of the sample, 58% (n=459) presented depression, 52.7% (n=417) anxiety, and 47.1% (n=373) presented insomnia. Female students had a higher risk for the development of symptoms of depression (ORa=1.55, CI9%: 1.16-2.08), anxiety (ORa=1.90, CI95%: 1.42-2.55), and insomnia (ORa=1.42, CI95%: 1.06-1.92). The presence of a history of any medical illness was associated with a higher risk of depression (ORa=1.78, CI95%: 1.22-2.60), anxiety (ORa=1.82, CI95%: 1.26-2.63), and insomnia (ORa=1.79, CI95 %:1.24-2.58).