The prevalence of depression in Chinese University students and their parents; amidst COVID-19 crisis: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Depression among university and college students is on the rise across the globe, and it is speculated that the present economic shockwaves due to COVID-19 might have increased the prevalence of parental depression in Chinese University students. Previous studies on the prevalence of parental depression in Chinese university students have depicted figures ranging from 7% to 15%. However, such fluctuations were due to the study design, which included specific provinces of China. The present cross-sectional study provided comprehensive evidence on the prevalence of depression in parents of Chinese University Students as well as in the latter amidst COVID-19. The study showed that the prevalence of depression in parents of Chinese University Students and the students themselves were 17% and 47%, respectively. The findings are in line with previous studies because studies have reported that the symptoms of depression in students whose parents are depressed could range from 25% to 49%. Considering missing data, the prevalence of parental depression in Chinese university students was 26.8%. Therefore, it could be inferred that the COVID-19 pandemic has not contributed significantly to the prevalence of depression in parents of Chinese University students. However, the prevalence of depression in Chinese University students is higher compared to previous studies. Nevertheless, this study confirmed that the prevalence of depression in Chinese university students is higher compared to previous studies. Future studies should explore the reason for such high rates of depression in the concerned stakeholders.