DEPRESSION AMONG FIRST-YEAR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN RESTIVE AREAS OF SOUTHERN THAILAND DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Keywords:
Depression, Students, Armed conflict, Comparative studies, COVID-19Abstract
This cross-sectional design study aimed to examine prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among first-year university students, who study at the campus located in the restive area of Southern Thailand’s insurgency (Pattani campus); during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to compare them with those who studied in a nearby province: (Hat Yai campus). A total of 865 first-year university students who studied at Prince of Songkla University were assessed by PHQ-9 online questionnaires during their first trimester of higher education and the second outbreak of COVID-19 in Thailand. Descriptive analysis, Chi-square and logistic regression analysis were conducted using R software package. The majority of the students who studied at Pattani campus, located in armed conflicted areas of southern Thailand, were female and Muslim, whereas most of those who studied at Hat Yai Campus, located in a nearby province, were Buddhist. About half of the students studying at Pattani and Hat Yai Campuses showed mild-to-severe depressive symptoms, without statistically significant difference between two campuses. However, 20% of those who studied at Pattani campus showed moderate-to-severe depression. Frequency of exercise was significantly associated with depressive symptoms among students who studied at both campuses, whereas physical comorbidities, and financial difficulties were significantly associated with depression among those who studied in armed conflict areas.
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