Use of anxiolytics/antidepressants among university students in the pre-vaccine period of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The present study assessed the prevalence of the use of anxiolytics/antidepressants and associated factors among university students in the pre-vaccine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 983 students of public and private universities in Brazil. Data were collected between September and December 2020 with the aid of a questionnaire available on the Survey Monkey® platform addressing socioeconomic data, self-rated health, the use of anxiolytics/antidepressants, history of depression, psychological/psychiatric treatment and aspects of the undergraduate course. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics and Poisson regression with robust variance (α = 5%). The prevalence of anxiolytics/antidepressants use was 15.7%. The use of anxiolytics/antidepressants was associated with the female sex (PR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.03-2.26), dissatisfaction with one’s overall health (PR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.08-1.82), undergoing psychological/psychiatric treatment (PR = 2.85; 95% CI: 1.91-4.22) and a medical diagnosis of depression (PR = 3.44; 95% CI: 2.52-4.70). The female sex, dissatisfaction with one’s own overall health status, undergoing psychological/psychiatric treatment and a medical diagnosis of depression exerted an influence on the use of anxiolytics/antidepressants by undergraduate university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.