Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among matriculated university students in Singapore during Covid-19 pandemic: findings from a repeated cross-sectional analysis

Yeo, Pearlie Mei En; Qin, Vicky Mengqi; Ang, Chin-Siang; Chia, Michael; Ho, Ringo Moon-Ho; Ho, Andy Hau Yan; Car, Josip

doi:10.1186/s12889-024-17866-7

Table 3 Physical and behavioural characteristics of student participants

From: Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among matriculated university students in Singapore during Covid-19 pandemic: findings from a repeated cross-sectional analysis

	2020 (n = 8,405)									2021 (n = 6,772)
	Total		NDS		MDS		MSDS		P value	Total		NDS		MDS		MSDS		P value
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	P value	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	P value
Multimorbidity
None	6,068	72.20	5,939	72.80	89	54.90	40	47.60	< 0.001	4,714	69.60	4,621	70.10	65	58.60	28	41.20	< 0.001
One chronic disease	1,737	20.70	1,667	20.40	42	25.90	28	33.30		1,500	22.20	1,444	21.90	31	27.90	25	36.80
More than one chronic disease	600	7.10	553	6.80	31	19.10	16	19.00		558	8.20	528	8.00	15	13.50	15	22.10
Health status
1 (worst)	2,140	25.50	2,008	24.60	84	51.90	48	57.10	< 0.001	1,771	26.20	1,678	25.50	51	45.90	42	61.80	< 0.001
2	3,040	36.20	2,969	36.40	46	28.40	25	29.80		2,561	37.80	2,502	37.90	43	38.70	16	23.50
3	1,146	13.60	1,128	13.80	16	9.90	2	2.40		786	11.60	777	11.80	6	5.40	3	4.40
4 (best)	2,079	24.70	2,054	25.20	16	9.90	9	10.70		1,654	24.40	1,636	24.80	11	9.90	7	10.30
Obesity
Normal	4,360	51.90	4,237	51.90	83	51.20	40	47.60	0.913	3,344	49.40	3,252	49.30	54	48.60	38	55.90	0.77
Underweight	1,242	14.80	1,204	14.80	23	14.20	15	17.90		891	13.20	866	13.10	18	16.20	7	10.30
Overweight	2,064	24.60	2,000	24.50	44	27.20	20	23.80		1,831	27.00	1,790	27.20	26	23.40	15	22.10
Obese	739	8.80	718	8.80	12	7.40	9	10.70		706	10.40	685	10.40	13	11.70	8	11.80
Alcohol consumption
Never	4,422	52.60	4,324	53.00	64	39.50	34	40.50	0.001	3,368	49.70	3,287	49.90	51	45.90	30	44.10	0.649
Once or less monthly	3,329	39.60	3,206	39.30	84	51.90	39	46.40		2,949	43.50	2,866	43.50	52	46.80	31	45.60
Twice or more monthly	654	7.80	629	7.70	14	8.60	11	13.10		455	6.70	440	6.70	8	7.20	7	10.30
Smoking
Non-smoker	8,003	95.20	7,775	95.30	154	95.10	74	88.10	0.018	6,424	94.90	6,256	94.90	106	95.50	62	91.20	0.540
Ever smoker	204	2.40	198	2.40	3	1.90	3	3.60		204	3.00	197	3.00	3	2.70	4	5.90
Current smoker	198	2.40	186	2.30	5	3.10	7	8.30		144	2.10	140	2.10	2	1.80	2	2.90
Family history of mental disorder
No	8,101	96.40	7,876	96.50	148	91.40	77	91.70	< 0.001	6,473	95.60	6,323	95.90	95	85.60	55	80.90	< 0.001
Yes	304	3.60	283	3.50	14	8.60	7	8.30		299	4.40	270	4.10	16	14.40	13	19.10

Note: Independence test for health status groups and smoking groups were conducted using Fisher’s exact test. P values that are significant were bolded. NDS = No depressive symptom; MDS = Mild depressive symptoms; MSDS = moderate to severe depressive symptoms

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ISSN: 1471-2458

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