ArticleBMC psychiatry2024
Levels of depression, anxiety and subjective happiness among health sciences students in Croatia: a multi-centric cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC psychiatry, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among university students in the post-COVID-19 period: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Symptoms of depression, suicidal ideation, and personality traits in a sample of medical students: a cross-sectional study.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
- Perceived Stress and Subjective Happiness in Medical Students Before and After a Wellness Speaker Session.Cureus · 2026Article
- Assessment of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms Among Medical Students and Their Association with Religiosity: A Cross-Sectional Study.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Longitudinal formative assessment reforms in manual therapy education: impacts on psychological wellbeing and course satisfaction.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Physical activity and depressive symptoms among college students: positive mental health as a mediator.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Moderated mediation model of subjective happiness and gender between financial strain and mental health of university students.Discover mental health · 2025Article
- Article
- Pro-Inflammatory Biomarkers And Depression: A Study Performed In A Group Of Health Sciences University Students.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2025Article
- Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Symptoms Among Students in Croatia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
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Authors and funding
13 authors at 10 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrevious studies have shown that symptoms of depression and anxiety were highly prevalent among health sciences students. This may lead to other professional and personal difficulties and a decrease in individuals' well-being. This study aimed to analyze levels of depression, anxiety and subjective happiness among health sciences students in Croatia.
methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in 10 higher education institutions in Croatia during March 2023. Eligible participants were health sciences students. Participants filled out an online survey consisting of sociodemographic questions and validated scales for determining the levels of depression (9-question Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, GAD-7), and happiness (Subjective Happiness Scale, SHS).
resultsOf 7460 invited students, 2137 students participated in the study (29% response rate). There were 41.4% of students that exhibited at least mild depressive symptoms, with 8% of students exhibiting moderately severe symptoms and 1.8% severe depressive symptoms. Mild anxiety was found in 36.8%, moderate anxiety in 23.9% and severe anxiety in 15.8% of students. The median SHS score was 19 (15.25-22). Women students had significantly higher levels of depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p < 0.001) than their men peers. Students in earlier study years showed higher levels of depression, anxiety and lower levels of subjective happiness compared to those in later study years. Students with lower self-assessed financial status had higher levels of depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p < 0.001). Students that failed an academic year had higher levels of depression (p < 0.001), but lower levels of anxiety (p = 0.005).
conclusionIn this study, we have shown that health sciences students exhibit high levels of depression and anxiety, at rates exceeding those in the general population reported in other studies. Our results may help educational institutions to put greater effort into the battle against mental health stigma, foster acceptance of mental health issues and encourage students to seek help when needed. Adequate mental health services are needed at universities to promote timely diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems.
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