Association between Mental Health Knowledge Level and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese College Students

Shuo Cheng, Di An, Zhiying Yao, Jenny Jing-Wen Liu, Xuan Ning, Josephine Pui-Hing Wong, Kenneth Po-Lun Fung, Mandana Vahabi, Maurice Kwong-Lai Poon, Janet Yamada, Shengli Cheng, Jianguo Gao, Xiaofeng Cong, Guoxiao Sun, Alan Tai-Wai Li, Xinting Wang and Cunxian Jia
Additional contact information
Shuo Cheng: School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Di An: School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Zhiying Yao: School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Jenny Jing-Wen Liu: Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 3K2, Canada
Xuan Ning: Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 3K2, Canada
Josephine Pui-Hing Wong: Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 3K2, Canada
Kenneth Po-Lun Fung: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
Mandana Vahabi: Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 3K2, Canada
Maurice Kwong-Lai Poon: School of Social Work, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
Janet Yamada: Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 3K2, Canada
Shengli Cheng: School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Jianguo Gao: School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Xiaofeng Cong: School of Political Science and Law, Jinan University, Jinan 250022, China
Guoxiao Sun: School of Physical Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Alan Tai-Wai Li: Primary Care, Regent Park Community Health Centre, Toronto, ON M5A 2B2, Canada
Xinting Wang: School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Cunxian Jia: School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-10

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the association between mental health knowledge level and the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six universities in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, and a total of 600 college students were recruited to self-complete a series of questionnaires. The Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire (MHKQ) was used to investigate the level of mental health knowledge. Depressive symptoms were investigated with the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among college students was 31.2%. Compared with MHKQ scoring in the 1st quartile, college students with MHKQ scoring in the 3rd quartile and in the 4th quartile reported lower levels of depressive symptoms after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Since mental health knowledge level was related to depressive symptoms among college students, increased efforts to promote the level of mental health knowledge in Chinese college students are critical.

Keywords: college students; mental health; knowledge; depressive symptoms; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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