Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in University Students in Paraguay during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Telmo Raul Aveiro-Róbalo, Luciana Daniela Garlisi-Torales, Marisella Chumán-Sánchez, César J. Pereira-Victorio (), Mariana Huaman-Garcia, Virgilio E. Failoc-Rojas () and Mario J. Valladares-Garrido
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Telmo Raul Aveiro-Róbalo: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Pacífico, Asunción 2300, Paraguay
Luciana Daniela Garlisi-Torales: Dirección de Investigación 2300, Universidad Maria Auxiliadora, Asunción 2040, Paraguay
Marisella Chumán-Sánchez: Sociedad Científica de Estudiantes de Medicina Veritas (SCIEMVE), Escuela de Medicina, Universidad San Martín de Porres, Chiclayo 14012, Peru
César J. Pereira-Victorio: School of Medicine, Universidad Continental, Lima 12000, Peru
Mariana Huaman-Garcia: Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Piura 20001, Peru
Virgilio E. Failoc-Rojas: Research Unit for Generation and Synthesis Evidence in Health, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima 15024, Peru
Mario J. Valladares-Garrido: South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima 15046, Peru

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: We aimed to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in university students in Paraguay during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 293 students from four universities in Paraguay in 2021. The DASS-21 mental health scale was used to measure the outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) and evaluate their association with socio-educational variables. A total of 77.1% of the participants were women and 136 (46.4%) were between 21 and 25 years old. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 74.7%, 87.4%, and 57%, respectively. We found that being a woman and studying at a public university was positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Receiving COVID-19 training increases the prevalence of mental health problems. In conclusion, high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress were found in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being a woman, studying at a public university, and receiving training on COVID-19 were factors associated with a higher prevalence of presenting all the mental health problems evaluated. Furthermore, students aged 31 and over had a higher prevalence of depression and stress.

Keywords: depression; anxiety; stress; COVID-19; Paraguay (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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