Community Medicine Abstracts - College of Medicine and Health ...

Project No. 43 (1995)Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors AmongSecondary School Female Students in Al Ain City, UAEStudent Authors: Mona Essa JakkaFaculty Supervisors: Dr. M.M. HossainAbstract:Objective To estimate the prevalence of symptoms of depression and to determinewhether these are associated with personal, family, school performance, healthproblem and life event factors.Methods Cluster sample of female secondary school students in central Al Ai city wasscreened in November 1995 with Brileson DSR scale and 5 dysfunctional relatedquestions.Results and Conclusion of 505 female students aged between 13 and 23 years, 15.6%had depressive symptoms that were significantly associated with personal factors,some of family factors and health problems. Age, school performance and life eventwere not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Considerable proportionof female secondary school students in Al Ain city manifest symptoms of depression.Secondary school students in Al Ain and comparable areas should be screened fordepressive symptoms and those found positive, by screening test, should be assessedby psychiatrists to conform the presence or absence of depression, which needs expertcare.