PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

R.A.C. Batin¹, C.D.N. Obra¹, C. Macalma¹

¹Mariano Marcos State University, Department of Physical Therapy, City of Batac, Philippines

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected people's mental health negatively, and had major influence on the increasing prevalence of anxiety and depression. Mental health can affect a person's daily life and relationships. Poor mental health can negatively impact physical health, and poor physical health can lead to increased risk of developing mental health problems. With the increasing incidence of mental health issues worldwide and their impact on physical health, this study was conducted.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and perceived risk factors of anxiety and depression among employees and students in a higher education institution during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine if significant differences exist between groups on the identified variables.

Methods: This was a descriptive-comparative study. A total of 212 students and 114 employees during the second semester of academic year 2020-2021 completed a validated survey that included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Perceived Risk Factors of Anxiety and Depression (PRFAD) Questionnaire. Data collection was done through personal and online distribution of questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and T-test were used for analyses using p<0.05 as level of significance.

Results: Results showed that most students have mild to moderate severity of anxiety (60.85%) and depression (58.96%) while employees have none to minimal severity of anxiety (76.32%) and depression (65.79%). Adverse working environment, social inequalities and exclusion, adverse media influences, poor housing conditions, poor civic facilities, peer pressure, family conflict, trauma, low self-esteem and insecure attachment were identified as moderate risk factors in anxiety and depression. Moreover, there were significant differences in the prevalence of anxiety and depression between students and employees (p=0.000) and prevalence of anxiety between teaching and non-teaching employees (p=0.000). There were higher self-reported anxiety and depression among students than employees, and among teaching employees than non-teaching employees.

Conclusions: With a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression among students, higher education institutions must strengthen their student welfare services. Also, employees' mental health needs must be considered by providing services to alleviate anxiety and depression. A holistic and comprehensive policy on mental health promotion should be implemented to improve the mental health status of students and employees.

Implications: An appropriate mechanism to verify the presence of self-reported anxiety and depression among students and employees is needed. Once a diagnosis is made, structuring of suitable interventions to prevent or avert a psychological crisis is warranted. In addition, developing a policy focusing on holistic mental health promotion to increase awareness and education is a must to promote better mental health outcomes to stakeholders of higher education institutions. Lastly, programs and activiti​es that nurture mental health among students and employees should be implemented to encourage help-seeking behaviors.

Funding acknowledgements: Mariano Marcos State University

Keywords:
Depression
Anxiety
COVID-19 pandemic

Topics:
Mental health
COVID-19
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Mariano Marcos State University

Committee: Mariano Marcos State University Research Ethics Review Board

Ethics number: 2020-046