Prevalence and Determinants of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms Among School-Going Adolescents in Urban South India: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Adolescent mental health is a growing public health concern globally and in India, with depression and anxiety being major contributors to morbidity and disability. However, evidence from urban government school settings remains scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms and identify their socio-demographic and behavioral determinants among school-going adolescents in Chennai, South India.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 720 adolescents aged 12-18 years from 12 randomly selected government schools in Chennai. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire assessing socio-demographics, lifestyle behaviors, bullying experiences, depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-Adolescent, PHQ-A), and anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, GAD-7). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors.

RESULTS

The study found that 34.9% of participants reported depressive symptoms, while 17.4% reported anxiety symptoms. Factors such as female gender, single-parent households, lower socioeconomic status, short sleep duration, high screen exposure, bullying, and low physical activity were associated with poor mental health outcomes. Low socioeconomic status was linked to depression, while low physical activity was linked to anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Adolescents in Chennai's urban government schools are suffering from depression and anxiety, necessitating targeted interventions like early screening, counseling, healthy lifestyle promotion, sleep hygiene, digital literacy, and anti-bullying initiatives.