74.2% of university students show signs of depression, one in three at severe levels, study finds

Nearly three in four university students in the country show symptoms of depression, according to a new study. Among the students surveyed, 74.2% showed depressive symptoms of varying degrees, and 33.2% of them were at the severe and extremely severe levels of depression.

The findings were presented on Wednesday afternoon (4 November) at an event held in the Marketing Department of Jagannath University. The event was jointly organised by 'Bondhu', an organisation working on mental health, skills development and research, and the Bangladesh Youth Think Tank, which works on youth development and policy.

The research report was presented by researcher and policy analyst Mahadi-ul-Morshed. Sheikh Rifad Mahmud, vice president of the Commonwealth Students' Association and general secretary of the Bangladesh Youth Think Tank, delivered the welcome address. After the presentation and discussion, the organisation's president, Imtiaz Ahmed, gave the closing speech.

Also present were Kazi Saddam Hossain, a director of the Bangladesh Youth Think Tank, and Sujaul Islam, former general secretary of the Jagannath University Journalists' Association.

The study, titled 'Socio-Demographic Predictors of Depression Among University Students in Bangladesh: Evidence from Regression Modeling', was conducted on 422 undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 18 to 26 from various public and private universities and colleges affiliated with the National University. The researchers used the Bangla depression sub-scale of DASS-21 to measure depressive symptoms.

According to the report, 12.3% of participants had mild depressive symptoms, 28.7% moderate, 12.3% severe and 20.9% extremely severe symptoms.

The study identified deterioration in family relationships, suicidal thoughts, irregular sleep and eating habits, excessive use of social media and insecurity on campus as factors associated with the risk of depression.

Some 29.1% of surveyed students said they do not spend even one hour a day on regular study. A total of 54.5% use social media for more than five hours a day, and 87.4% look at their mobile phone within half an hour of waking up.

The report also said the mental health of 25.8% of students has deteriorated. Meanwhile, 22.5% of students felt they needed mental health services but were unable to obtain them.

To improve students' mental health, the research team recommended setting up regular and confidential mental health centres at universities, ensuring easily accessible professional counselling services and raising awareness among parents. It also called for improving students' housing and transport arrangements and providing institutional support to help them maintain balance in daily life.

Speakers at the discussion said university students' mental health is not merely a personal matter; it is an issue of national importance linked to education, public health and social policy. The state, society and universities must work together in a coordinated way to ensure students a healthy and safe life, they said.