The current depression situation of public high school students in Danang city

Journal of military pharmaco-medicine n02-2019

THE CURRENT DEPRESSION SITUATION OF PUBLIC HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS IN DANANG CITY
Nguyen Thi My Anh1; Tong Thi Luyen2; Truong Ngoc Tai1
Huynh Minh Giang1; Phan Thi Hoang Oanh1
SUMMARY
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of depression disturbances and factors related to
depression of 457 high school students in Danang City. Methods: Cross-sectional study and
using DASS 42 scale. Results: The incidence of depression among high school students in
Danang was 40.9%, including mild, moderate, severe and very severe levels (14.0%, 13.1%
and 13.8%, respectively). Friends and living conditions, family conflicts, isolation of friends,
study pressures, self-targeting, feelings of inferior to friends and using alcohol are all related to
depression (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The incidence of depression among students for factors as
family and school causes is alarming. There is a need to establish free mental health counseling
centers to support specialized psychological knowledge for teachers and parents.
* Keywords: Depression; Students; Public high school.

INTRODUCTION
Severe depressive disorder will lead to
some actions such as suicide, self-harm
and alcohol/drug abuse, ranking among
the top 10 causes of the current burden of
disease in today's world. It is estimated
that around 350 million people in various
age groups all over the world suffer from
depression [2]. In Asia-Pacific countries,
according to Chiu E (2004), the average
percentage of depression was 3.7%,
much lower than in other regions of the
world [10].

In Vietnam, the percentage of depression
among children has icreased and it has
affected their education and life. Therefore,
the authors did the research on “Depressive

disorders of students in public high schools
in Danang City” with two aims: To determine
evidence of depressive disorder among
students and find out factors related to
depression among students.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Subjects.
* Study subjects: Students in 7 public
high schools in Danang City.
* Selection criteria: Voluntarily agree to
participate. Attend class at the interview
time.
* Exclusion criteria: No co-operation.
Insufficient answers in the questionnaire,
been examined and diagnosed with
depression.

1. Univerrsity of Medicine Technology and Pharmacy
2. Danang Psychiatric Hospital
Corresponding author: Nguyen Thi My Anh ()
Date received: 20/12/2018
Date accepted: 18/01/2019

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Journal of military pharmaco-medicine n02-2019
2. Methods.
- Use the descriptive cross-sectional
study method.
* Sample size design: The research
sample size was calculated according to
the formula.

* Sampling method: Four-stage cluster
sampling.
* Research tool: Use DASS 42.
* Time and place of study: From 10 2017 to 10 - 2018 in 7 public high schools
in Danang City.
* Data processing: Use EPIDATA software
to enter data and use SPSS 22.0.

p: Percentage of depression, according
to research by Le Minh Thuan [4], p = 0.24;
d: 0.04. Substitute into the formula, we
had 437 samples. Plusing 10% of the
sample was incorrect or not participation,
we got a sample size of 480. In fact, we
obtained 457 samples.

* Research ethics:
Students were given a clear explanation
of the purpose of the study, willing to
participate and guaranteed confidentiality
when participating in research. They would

refuse if they didn't not want to answer
the research questions.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. Incidence of depressive disorders and severity of depression.

59.1 %
40.9 %
No
Depression

Chart 1: Incidence of depressive disorders of public high school students.
The study showed that the percentage of students suffering from depression was
(40.9%) lower than the results of depression study by Do Bich Ngoc (60.8%),
Nguyen Thi Huong (49.5%), higher than the study by Do Dinh Quyen (39.6%),
Nguyen Truong Vien (29.2%), Tran Quynh Anh (38.9%) [1, 4, 5, 6, 8].
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Journal of military pharmaco-medicine n02-2019

14
13.8
13.6
13.4
13.2
13
12.8
12.6

Severity of
depression

14%

13.8%
13.1%

Mild

Moderate

Severity

Chart 2: Specific depression rates of high school students.
Depression rates at specific levels of mild (14.0%), moderate (13.1%), severe
(13.8%) were lower than those of Le Minh Thuan‟s study with severity of 24% [7].
For the reasons, research objectives and areas are in Hochiminh City, Hanoi; life is
always busy, noisy, crowded, cramped, demanding economic conditions and with many
other agents which create depression easily rather than in Danang.
2. Some factors related to depression status.
* Demographic factors and depression:
Table 1: Relationship between demographic factors and depression.
Severity of depressive disorders
Total
Features

Object

No

p

Yes

n

%

n

%

n

%

Male

107

60.8

69

39.2

176

38.5

Female

163

58

118

42

281

61.5

Social

146

63.5

84

36.5

230

50.3

Science

106

57.3

79

42.7

185

40.5

Other

18

42.9

24

57.1

42

9.2

242

61.3

153

38.7

395

86.4

Countryside

29

46.8

33

53.2

62

13.6

Happy

223

59.8

150

40.2

373

81.6

Separated

26

70.3

11

29.7

37

8.1

Divorce

5

35.7

9

64.3

14

3.1

Other

16

48.5

17

51.5

33

7.2

Sex

Majors

> 0.05

Habitat

Parental
marriage

< 0.05

< 0.05

< 0.05

In the demographic factor, only the place of living is related to depression. The percentage
of students living in rural areas with depression was 53.2% compared to the city with
depression of 38.7%. In this factor, it is possible that the number of students from rural
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Journal of military pharmaco-medicine n02-2019
areas to rent accommodation in the city should be unfamiliar with the pressure of life so
they are easy to get depression. It is needed to perform more studies on cultural
factors related to depression among students to clarify. Depression of male and
female, parental marriage was not related with depression of students, with p > 0.05.
* Family factors and depressive disorder:
Table 2: Relationship between family factors and depressive disorder.
Family factors with depressive disorders
No

Depression
Content

Yes

Total
p

n

%

n

%

n

%

No

184

65.5

97

34.5

281

61.5

Yes

87

49.4

89

50.6

176

38.5

No

76

58.5

54

41.5

130

28.4

Yes

195

59.6

132

40.4

327

71.6

No

259

61.8

160

38.2

419

91.7

Yes

12

31.6

26

68.4

38

8.3

No

206

58.2

148

41.8

354

77.5

Yes

65

63.1

38

36.9

103

22.5

Conflict with family

< 0.05

Parental expectations for
their children

> 0.05

Family in trouble

< 0.05

The relatives in family
were dead or sick

> 0.05

There is no relationship between depression and parental expectations for their
children and the death and sickness of relatives in family. There was a relationship
between depression and conflict with family and family in trouble with a 1.5-fold
difference when there was conflict leading to depression (50.6%) compared with no
conflicts and depression (34.5%), family in trouble has the depression rate (68.4%)
higher 1.8 times than family without trouble (38.2%). The study was consistent with
Tran Quynh Anh's survey on family conflict (49.5%), which was 1.3 times higher than
(37.0%) [2], Vo Van Ban 76.47%; Nguyen Thi Kim Cuc 28.9%; Nguyen Thanh Quang

19.23%. Family conflict is an important cause of depression for students because their
time in the family is mainly and their only support is family. However, for some reasons
leading to conflict will affect the psychology of the children, feel disoriented, not interested,
no support..., so students will be prone to depression.
* School - friend factors and depressive disorders:
Table 3: Relationship between school factors and depressive disorder.
Friends, learning factors and depressive disorders
No

Depression
Content

Yes

Total
p

n

%

n

%

n

%

No

240

60.2

159

39.8

399

87.3

Yes

31

53.4

27

46.6

58

12.7

Conflict in love

> 0.05

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Journal of military pharmaco-medicine n02-2019
No

205

62.5

123

37.5

328

71.8

Yes

66

51.2

63

48.8

129

28.2

No

246

62

151

38

397

86.9

Yes

25

41.7

35

58.3

60

13.1

No

250

60.4

164

39.6

414

90.6

Yes

21

48.8

22

51.2

43

9.4

No

90

69.8

39

30.2

129

28.2

Yes

181

55.2

147

44.8

328

71.8

Conflict with friends

< 0.05

Isolated by friends

< 0.05

Bullied by fiends

> 0.05

Learning pressure

< 0.05

There was a relationship between present conflict with friends, isolated by friends,
learning pressures and depression expression (p < 0.05) (48.8% compared to no
conflicting 37.5%). In study by Tran Quynh Anh, the percentage of conflict with friends and
no conflict with friends was 54.3% vs. 35.0%, being isolated by friends 58.3% compared to
38.0%, learning pressure 44.8% compare to 30.2%, similar to Vo Van Ban‟s study with
very high learning pressure (58.82%), Nguyen Thi Kim Cuc 35.6%. Friendships are also
very important in their lives, they will suffer from psychological disorders such as suffering,
torment, sadness and loneliness if friendship is not respected plus high learning pressure
from parents, schools, especially high achievement school... there will be more pressure
and difficulty if teachers (with specialized field but no psychological counseling or lack of
moral psychological practice) will not grasp timely psychology of the students that will make
them more deeply hurt spirit
* Student personal factors and other factors:
Table 4: Relationship between personal factors and other factors with depression.
Student personal factors and other factors with depression
No

Depression
Content

Yes

Total
p

n

%

n

%

n

%

No

143

73

53

27

196

42.9

Yes

128

49

133

51

261

57.1

No

123

73.2

45

26.8

168

36.8

Yes

148

51.2

141

48.8

289

63.2

No

261

60.8

168

39.2

429

93.9

Yes

10

35.7

18

64.3

28

6.1

No

246

63.4

142

36.6

388

84.9

Yes

25

36.2

44

63.8

69

15.1

Setting too high goals

Feeling inferior to
friends

Sexual harassment

Previously suffered
from childhood traumas

174

< 0.001


Journal of military pharmaco-medicine n02-2019
The relationship between personal factors and other factors with depression; setting
too high goals was a high depression rate of 1.9 times than without setting goals

(50.0% compared to 27.0%), feeling inferior to friends was 1.8 times (48.8% and 26.8%),
high sexual harassment was 1.64 times (64.3% vs. 39.2%). This is also the cause of
depression, in life there are many factors that affect the change of human psychology if
the individual who does not think positive will be affected.
* Behavioral factors and depressive disorders:
Table 5: Relationship between stimulant use and depression.
Stimulant use factors with depressive disorders
No

Depression

Yes

Total
p

Content

n

%

n

%

n

%

No

262

60

175

40

437

95.6

Yes

9

45

11

55

20

4.4

No

257

60.8

166

39.2

423

92.6

Yes

14

41.2

20

58.8

34

7.4

Smoking habit

> 0.05

Alcohol consumption

< 0.05

Alcohol consumption behavior of students was related with students‟ depression
with p < 0.05. Meanwhile, smoking behavior was not related. Alcohol use was related
to depression (58.8%; 39.2%), it is similar to the study by Le Minh Thuan, a group of
students with alcohol use had a higher depression than those without alcohol 1.5 times.
Although this study did not quantify the amount of alcohol in each drink times, the results
showed that an interaction between behavior and depression rates among students.
* The demand for psychological counseling - health of students:

The chart showed that the demand for counseling on mental health was high at 79.2%.
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Journal of military pharmaco-medicine n02-2019
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Conclusions.
- The research showed that 40.9% of
students with depression. However, students
with depression: mild were 14.0%, moderate
13.1%, severe 13.8%.
- There are some factors related to
depression, including family factors such
as family conflict (50.6%), family in trouble
(68.4%). The school factors including
learning pressure (44.8%), isolated by
friends (58.3%), conflict with friends

(48.8%) and personal factors as setting
too high goals (50.0%), feeling inferior to
friends (48.8%). Alcohol consumption
behavior 58.8%.
2. Recommendations
Research may contribute to reduce the
percentage of mental disorder if the
model of psychological intervention for
students in high schools in Danang City is
implemented. The results showed that
students need a lot of activities with
psychologists, free health counseling centers,
family cares, and appropriate teaching
and learning methods to help them
overcome the difficulties in their studies,
their family and their emotional life.

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