Abstract
Background: The rapid spread and uncertain outcome of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) around the world have caused worry, fear, and stress among the general population. Nevertheless, the prevalence of depression among college students in China during lockdown, following the COVID-19 pandemic, and their coping strategies have not been quantitatively assessed.Objective: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of depression among college students in China during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and assess their coping strategies.Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the prevalence of depression among college students in China and their coping strategies.Results: The results indicated that, during lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence rates of college students in China suffering from mild, moderate, and severe depression were 25% (95% CI = 17–33%), 7% (95% CI = 2–14%), and 2% (95% CI = 1–5%), respectively. Besides, the proportion of college students who use WeChat and Weibo to acquire COVID-19 knowledge was 39% (95% CI = 13–68%), whereas the proportion of college students using mental health application services (APPs) to deal with depression was 59% (95% CI = 41–73%).Conclusions: The prevalence of depression among college students in China was high during the lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, considering the adverse outcomes of depression, it is imperative to screen college students in China for depression during the CIVID-19 pandemic and provide them with necessary psychological interventions to control and prevent depression. Social media platforms, such as WeChat and Weibo, and mental health APPs could provide an opportunity for psychological health information dissemination for college students. However, their effectiveness in reducing depression will have to be assessed.
Highlights
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) started in Wuhan, one of the biggest cities in China, in 2019 and quickly spread to almost every human settlement on the planet
The included studies met the following criteria: [1] they investigated Chinese college students; [2] they were conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak; [3] they examined the emotional or psychological changes in college students; [4] they used valid diagnostic criteria for depression symptoms; [5] they were written in Chinese or English language; [6] they contained the necessary research outcomes needed for this study; [7] depression in this study refers to individuals showing obvious negative emotions such as decreased interest, hopelessness, inferiority, etc
Based on the information in the included literature, the incidence of depression between the sexes was explored, and the results indicated that there was no significant difference between genders [relative risk (RR) = 0.94, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) = 0.82–1.07]
Summary
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) started in Wuhan, one of the biggest cities in China, in 2019 and quickly spread to almost every human settlement on the planet. Public health measures including social restrictions and quarantines have been adopted by countries to control the spread of COVID-19, and these have seriously affected the lives of billions of people [2]. Some studies have indicated that the outbreak of COVID-19 and the social isolation policies adopted by countries could lead to serious mental health problems in the general population [3, 4]. The rapid spread and uncertain outcome of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) around the world have caused worry, fear, and stress among the general population. The prevalence of depression among college students in China during lockdown, following the COVID-19 pandemic, and their coping strategies have not been quantitatively assessed
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