Abstract
Background: In Pakistan, almost 30% population is between 15 to 29 years of age, with university enrollment rates of 10–15%. Although there is a growing concern on mental health of university students across the globe, studies from low and middle income countries such as Pakistan are scarce. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence of depressive symptoms among Pakistani university students.Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo and Google Scholar were searched between 15 to 30th January 2020. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, published till 31st December 2019 were included. Data on study characteristics and prevalence of depressive symptoms were extracted. Meta-analysis was conducted using random effects models. To estimate subgroup difference based on study characteristics, meta-regression and sub-group analyses were conducted.Results: In total, 26 studies involving 7,652 participants were included in review. Overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 42.66% (95% CI: 34.82% to 50.89%), with significant heterogeneity among studies. Subgroup analyses revealed a significant difference in prevalence estimates based on depression screening instrument and study major. Statistically significant differences were observed among studies employing different psychometric scales (test for subgroup differences, Q = 21.92, p < 0.05) and between students from different study majors (test for subgroup differences, Q = 3.76, p = 0.05).Conclusion: Our study found that overall prevalence of depressive symptoms among university students in Pakistan was 42.66%, however, findings should be interpreted with caution. Large scale epidemiological surveys using valid and reliable tools are needed to better estimate prevalence of depression among Pakistani university students.
Highlights
Depressive disorders are leading cause of disability worldwide [1, 2]
In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 studies involving 7652 university students, prevalence of depressive symptoms was found to be 42.66%
We found only 26 studies in four major databases, without publication dates restrictions
Summary
Depressive disorders are leading cause of disability worldwide [1, 2]. Studies suggest that most Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) have their first onset before the age of 24 [3]. Anxiety and mood disorders are highly prevalent among young people aged 18–29 years. Almost 40% of young people experience their first episode of depression before the age of 20, with an average age of onset in the mid-20s [4]. These years are most important for education, employment and social relationships. 24 to 34% university students experience depressive symptoms [5,6,7,8,9]. There is a growing concern on mental health of university students across the globe, studies from low and middle income countries such as Pakistan are scarce. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence of depressive symptoms among Pakistani university students
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