The Prevalence of Mood Disorders Among Health and Non-health Undergraduate Students in King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mood disorders (MDs) are among the most common of all mental health diagnoses, with increasing prevalence and a devastating impact on individuals, families, and the community. This study aimed to estimate the frequency of MDs among health and non-health profession students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 391 students to estimate the self-reported prevalence of different MDs and to screen for bipolar disorder (BD) using the mood disorder questionnaire (MDQ) and for depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 items (DASS-21). RESULTS: MDs were reported by 24.9% (n=50) of health profession students and 22.8% (n=31) of non-health profession students. For BD, it affected 35.3% of students in the health profession and 47.4% (n=46) of students without the health profession, although the difference was not statistically significant. The most reported MDs among health and non-health profession students were major depression (4.9% vs. 4.2%), seasonal affective disorder (SAD) (3.3% vs. 2.1%), dysthymia (2.4% vs. 2.8), and BD (2% vs. 2.8%), respectively. None of the observed differences between the two groups were statistically significant. According to DASS-21 scores for health and non-health profession students, severe depressive and severe anxiety symptoms were more common among non-health students (45.1% and 59.3%, respectively) than among health profession students (41.4% and 51.1%, respectively). However, stress was higher among health-related than non-health-related students (19.4% and 18.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MDs constitute a high burden among university students regardless of their field of study, creating an increased urgency to incorporate ways to promote the mental well-being of students and to manage those with an MD. Further research is needed to identify effective preventive strategies for depression in the future.