Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, India

Background: The prevalence of mental health problems in the adolescent population is higher than in the general population. Aims and Objectives: To assess the mental health and to identify depressive symptoms in the adolescent population in the schools in northern India and to study the association...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Naveen Krishan Goel, Gurvinder Pal Singh, Meenal Madhukar Thakare, Dinesh Kumar Walia, Deepak Sharma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-01-01
Series:Journal of Mental Health and Human Behaviour
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jmhhb.org/article.asp?issn=0971-8990;year=2023;volume=28;issue=1;spage=59;epage=64;aulast=Goel
_version_ 1797738523075280896
author Naveen Krishan Goel
Gurvinder Pal Singh
Meenal Madhukar Thakare
Dinesh Kumar Walia
Deepak Sharma
author_facet Naveen Krishan Goel
Gurvinder Pal Singh
Meenal Madhukar Thakare
Dinesh Kumar Walia
Deepak Sharma
author_sort Naveen Krishan Goel
collection DOAJ
description Background: The prevalence of mental health problems in the adolescent population is higher than in the general population. Aims and Objectives: To assess the mental health and to identify depressive symptoms in the adolescent population in the schools in northern India and to study the association of sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables with depressive symptoms and screening instrument scores. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 350 adolescents studying in the 5th standard to 12th standard in two schools in village Palsora, Chandigarh, India. The socioeconomic status was assessed using Modified Kuppuswamy Classification. Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMQ) was used to measure mental health and screen for depressive symptoms among rural adolescents. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables, mental health, and depressive symptoms among adolescents were evaluated. The participants were interviewed by trained mental health professionals. Results: 62% of the study participants had a high SMQ score on the assessment instrument which measured depressive feelings felt in the last 2 weeks. Female adolescents had significantly higher SMQ scores than male adolescents. The younger adolescents in the age group 10–14 years and overcrowding in the family were associated with significantly high SMQ scores. Conclusions: The survey concluded that there was a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in adolescents studying in rural schools in northern India. 62% of the study participants had a high SMQ score and were at risk for depression and predicted future depression in adolescents. The female and younger adolescents had significantly higher SMQ scores than male and older adolescents.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T13:44:59Z
format Article
id doaj.art-568713ae6fac48a89b0d4fc51a24e53b
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0971-8990
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T13:44:59Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Mental Health and Human Behaviour
spelling doaj.art-568713ae6fac48a89b0d4fc51a24e53b2023-08-23T09:42:52ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Mental Health and Human Behaviour0971-89902023-01-01281596410.4103/jmhhb.jmhhb_113_22Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, IndiaNaveen Krishan GoelGurvinder Pal SinghMeenal Madhukar ThakareDinesh Kumar WaliaDeepak SharmaBackground: The prevalence of mental health problems in the adolescent population is higher than in the general population. Aims and Objectives: To assess the mental health and to identify depressive symptoms in the adolescent population in the schools in northern India and to study the association of sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables with depressive symptoms and screening instrument scores. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 350 adolescents studying in the 5th standard to 12th standard in two schools in village Palsora, Chandigarh, India. The socioeconomic status was assessed using Modified Kuppuswamy Classification. Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMQ) was used to measure mental health and screen for depressive symptoms among rural adolescents. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables, mental health, and depressive symptoms among adolescents were evaluated. The participants were interviewed by trained mental health professionals. Results: 62% of the study participants had a high SMQ score on the assessment instrument which measured depressive feelings felt in the last 2 weeks. Female adolescents had significantly higher SMQ scores than male adolescents. The younger adolescents in the age group 10–14 years and overcrowding in the family were associated with significantly high SMQ scores. Conclusions: The survey concluded that there was a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in adolescents studying in rural schools in northern India. 62% of the study participants had a high SMQ score and were at risk for depression and predicted future depression in adolescents. The female and younger adolescents had significantly higher SMQ scores than male and older adolescents.http://www.jmhhb.org/article.asp?issn=0971-8990;year=2023;volume=28;issue=1;spage=59;epage=64;aulast=Goeladolescencedepressiondepressive symptomsmental healthschool. short mood and feeling score
spellingShingle Naveen Krishan Goel
Gurvinder Pal Singh
Meenal Madhukar Thakare
Dinesh Kumar Walia
Deepak Sharma
Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, India
Journal of Mental Health and Human Behaviour
adolescence
depression
depressive symptoms
mental health
school. short mood and feeling score
title Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, India
title_full Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, India
title_fullStr Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, India
title_full_unstemmed Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, India
title_short Epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school-going rural adolescents of Chandigarh, India
title_sort epidemiological survey to identify depressive symptoms in school going rural adolescents of chandigarh india
topic adolescence
depression
depressive symptoms
mental health
school. short mood and feeling score
url http://www.jmhhb.org/article.asp?issn=0971-8990;year=2023;volume=28;issue=1;spage=59;epage=64;aulast=Goel
work_keys_str_mv AT naveenkrishangoel epidemiologicalsurveytoidentifydepressivesymptomsinschoolgoingruraladolescentsofchandigarhindia
AT gurvinderpalsingh epidemiologicalsurveytoidentifydepressivesymptomsinschoolgoingruraladolescentsofchandigarhindia
AT meenalmadhukarthakare epidemiologicalsurveytoidentifydepressivesymptomsinschoolgoingruraladolescentsofchandigarhindia
AT dineshkumarwalia epidemiologicalsurveytoidentifydepressivesymptomsinschoolgoingruraladolescentsofchandigarhindia
AT deepaksharma epidemiologicalsurveytoidentifydepressivesymptomsinschoolgoingruraladolescentsofchandigarhindia