Assessing Depression Levels Among University Students in Selangor, Malaysia: A Post-COVID-19 Analysis of Prevalence and Gender Differences

This pandemic due to COVID-19 has impacted all mental health of the students in the university. The majority of academic and social or personal life of the students has suddenly come to a standstill. This study assessed the gender-focused differences in post-pandemic prevalence and severity of depression among Malaysian university students in Selangor. The students will also be accessed on a cross-section at a quantitative scale, thus involving a web-based questionnaire that orients on the Beck Depression Inventory and is used to gather information from 133 scholars. Descriptive analyses with SPSS 24 show that 80% of respondent manifest symptoms of depression whereby a proportion of 35% shows mild; 25%, moderate; and 20%, severe depression. Analysis revealed that, overall, most female students were significantly more likely than males to experience depression (45% compared to 30%), and results of t-test showed that the difference is statistically significant (p < 0.05). Females scored higher on physical symptoms like insomnia and loss of appetite. Therefore, gender-sensitive mental health interventions, including psychological counseling, social support initiatives, and stress management programs, will reduce the long-term effects of the pandemic on health.