A Study of Stress and Depression in Health Science Students at a University in Bangkok, Thailand

Objective: Stress and depression are emotional disturbances affecting cognition, emotion, and behavior. Adolescent depression in particular is a major, global mental health concern. This study aimed to investigate stress, depression, and associated factors among health science students.Material and Methods: The Suanprung Stress Test-20 (SPST-2020) and The 9 Question Depression Rating Scale (9Q) assessment tools were used to assess participants’ psychological status. Relationships between stress/depression and different factors were analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios for stress/depression factors. Additionally, the Pearson correlation coefficient measured the stress and depression correlation.Results: The sample comprised of 257 individuals from the health science student cohort: 218 females (84.82%) and 39 males (15.18%). The study found that stress levels were moderate in 31.12%, high in 46.69%, and severe in 19.85% of participants. Study program and income sufficiency influenced stress levels. Depression severity was reported to be 1.95%, with associated factors including: study program, personal/familial history of depression, and stress. A significant correlation (r=0.554, p-value<0.001) was found between stress and depression levels.Conclusion: This study’s findings reveal that health science students experience stress and depression, which can be attributed to various factors including: study program, financial concerns, and personal or familial histories of depression.