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Table 1 Prevalence and relationship of anxiety based on the socio-demographic characteristics of participants (n = 1821)

From: The prevalence risk of anxiety and its associated factors among university students in Malaysia: a national cross-sectional study

Socio-demographic characteristic

Total number

Anxiety

Statistics

N (%)

Yes (GAD ≥ 8)

n (%)

No (GAD < 8)

n (%)

Gender

 Male

683

186(27.2%)

497(72.8%)

χ 2 = 1.75,

df = 1, p = 0.08

 Female

1138

343(30.1%)

795(69.9%)

Age group category

 18–22

1530

449(29.3%)

1081(70.7%)

χ2 = 0.99

df = 2, p = 0.61

 23–27

271

76(28.0%)

195(72.0%)

 > 28

20

4(20.0%)

16(80.0%)

Ethnicity

 Malay

922

236(25.6%)

686(74.4%)

χ2 = 11.11,

df = 3, p = 0.01*

 Chinese

553

178(32.2%)

375(67.8%)

 Indian

165

53(32.1%)

112(67.9%)

 Others

181

62(34.3%)

119(65.7%)

Marital status

 Single

1799

524(29.1%)

1275(70.9%)

χ2 = 0.98,

df = 2, p = 0.61

 Married

20

5(25.0%)

15(75.0%)

 Divorced & Widow

2

0(0.0%)

2(100.0%)

Monthly family income (RM)

 RM950 and below

330

108(32.7%)

222(67.3%)

χ2 = 6.40,

df = 3, p = 0.09

 RM951-RM3,900

722

202(28.0%)

520(72.0%)

 RM3,901-RM8,400

504

132(26.2%)

372(73.8%)

 RM8,401 and above

265

87(32.8%)

178(67.2%)

Residency

 Rural

454

113(24.9%)

341(75.1%)

χ2 = 5.07,

df = 1, p = 0.02*

 Urban

1367

416(30.4%)

951(69.6%)

Current smoking

 Yes

54

22(40.7%)

32(59.3%)

χ2 = 3.96,

df = 1, p = 0.04*

 No

1767

507(28.7%)

1260(71.3%)

Alcohol consumption

 Yes

158

73(46.2%)

85(53.8%)

χ2 = 24.69,

df = 1, p < 0.01*

 No

1663

456(27.4%)

1207(72.6%)

Poor sleep quality

 Yes

779

328(42.1%)

451(57.9%)

χ2 = 112.57,

df = 1, p < 0.01*

 No

1042

201(19.3%)

841(80.7%)

Body Mass Index (BMI)

 Underweight (Below 18.5)

290

104(35.9%)

186(64.1%)

χ2 = 10.95,

df = 3, p = 0.01*

 Normal (18.5–24.9)

1068

294(27.5%)

774(72.5%)

 Overweight (25.0–29.9)

318

82(25.8%)

236(74.2%)

 Obese (30.0 and above)

145

49(33.8%)

96(66.2%)

Number of people in household

 1–5

1151

340(29.5%)

811(70.5%)

χ2 = 0.50,

df = 2, p = 0.77

 6–10

648

182(28.1%)

466(71.9%)

 ≥ 11

22

7(31.8%)

15(68.2%)

Parents with tertiary education background

 Yes

786

240(30.5%)

546(69.5%)

χ2 = 1.47,

df = 1, p = 0.22

 No

1035

289(27.9%)

746(72.1%)

  1. *Significant at p < 0.05;