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Predictors of depression and generalized anxiety disorder among students in self-financing dector of higher education (SFSHE): Role of quality of life and social support
Author(s)
Date Issued
2025
Citation
Fu, W., & Thompson, N. (28 Jun 2025). Predictors of depression and generalized anxiety disorder among students in self-financing dector of higher education (SFSHE): Role of quality of life and social support. The 2025 HKCPsych International Mental Health Congress, Hong Kong.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Objectives: The literature on relationship among quality of life, social support, and common mental health issues (eg, depression, generalised anxiety disorder) is abundant; however, findings specific to the context of self-financing sector of higher education (SFSHE) students in Hong Kong are lacking. This study aimed to determine the capacity of World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief and social support in predicting depression and generalised anxiety disorder.
Methods: A total of 391 participants (mean age, 22.0 ± 5.5 years) from local SFSHE were invited to complete a battery of questionnaires through Qualtrics. The questionnaires included the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the International Depression Questionnaire, and the International Anxiety Questionnaire. Logistic regressions were performed, with diagnoses based on the International Depression Questionnaire (IDQ) and the International Anxiety Questionnaire (IAQ) (which fit well with ICD-11) as criteria and qualitative of life and social support as predictors.
Results: Physical health (odds ratio [OR] =0.96, p < 0.05) and psychological health (OR = 0.94, p < 0.05) were associated with a diagnosis of depression in IDQ, whereas general QOL (OR = 0.93, p < 0.01) was associated with a diagnosis of generalised anxiety in IAQ. Support from the significant other was associated with an increased likelihood of meeting diagnostic criterion for depression in IDQ and IAQ, whereas support from friends was associated with lower likelihood of diagnoses in IDQ and IAQ. Conclusion: Different domains of quality of life and social support have differential impacts on depression and generalised anxiety disorder.
Methods: A total of 391 participants (mean age, 22.0 ± 5.5 years) from local SFSHE were invited to complete a battery of questionnaires through Qualtrics. The questionnaires included the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the International Depression Questionnaire, and the International Anxiety Questionnaire. Logistic regressions were performed, with diagnoses based on the International Depression Questionnaire (IDQ) and the International Anxiety Questionnaire (IAQ) (which fit well with ICD-11) as criteria and qualitative of life and social support as predictors.
Results: Physical health (odds ratio [OR] =0.96, p < 0.05) and psychological health (OR = 0.94, p < 0.05) were associated with a diagnosis of depression in IDQ, whereas general QOL (OR = 0.93, p < 0.01) was associated with a diagnosis of generalised anxiety in IAQ. Support from the significant other was associated with an increased likelihood of meeting diagnostic criterion for depression in IDQ and IAQ, whereas support from friends was associated with lower likelihood of diagnoses in IDQ and IAQ. Conclusion: Different domains of quality of life and social support have differential impacts on depression and generalised anxiety disorder.
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