Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39523315›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2024

Depression among Saudi international university students and its associated risk factors.

Mohammed Abdullah Alnaim, Abdullah Hamdan Alghamdi, Mohammed Rashid Aljawair, Faisal Abdulaziz Alhadi, Abdullah Mohammed Alomair, Ali Alsaad

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07625163 (The Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Mindful Breathing on Symptom Severity and Quality of Life in Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder in Saudi Arabia), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07625163 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

The Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Mindful Breathing on Symptom Severity and Quality of Life in Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder in Saudi Arabia: A Randomised Clinical Trial Protocol

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of PretoriaRan2026 to 2026Enrolled60ConditionsMajor Depressive Disorder (MDD)ArmsAerobic exercise, Mindful Breathing
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Academic Well-Being Among STEM University Students Living Away from Home: A Mixed-Methods Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Mohammed Abdullah AlnaimCollage of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. 219033242@student.kfu.edu.sa.
Abdullah Hamdan AlghamdiCollage of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Rashid AljawairCollage of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Faisal Abdulaziz AlhadiCollage of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Mohammed AlomairCollage of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Ali AlsaadCollage of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

King Faisal University (GRANT NO. 5506)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDepression disorders are one of the most widespread mental disorders among college students. In university students, depression has been associated with lower academic performance, worse work performance, and increased dropout risk. his study aims to assess the prevalence of depression and highlight risk factors among Saudi international university students (IUS) in the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia. SUBJECT AND

methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi students who chose to study abroad. A self-administered online questionnaire was sent to the students using an online survey. The questionnaire includes socio-demographic data (e.g., age, gender, specialty, etc.), medical characteristics, social status, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) to assess the student's depression.

resultsOf the 401 students, 52.4% were younger (age 18 - 25 years), and more than half were males (53.9%). Most of the participants were studying in the US (46.6%), followed by the UK (40.6%) and Australia (12.7%). The rate of major depression among Saudi students studying abroad was 40.4%. In univariate analysis, major depression was influenced by age, marital status, specialty, personal and family history of mental illness, contact with family and friends, and feeling like a stranger. However, after conducting multivariate regression analysis, previous diagnoses of mental illness and feeling a stranger were identified as the significant independent risk factors for major depression.

conclusionThis study provides insights into the prevalence and risk factors associated with depression among Saudi IUS. The prevalence of major depression among Saudi IUS was 40.4%. Previous history of mental illness and feeling like strangers were identified as the most prominent risk factors in this study. Identifying the prevalence and contributing factors of depression can guide academic institutions and governments in the development of effective interventions and support for IUS's mental well-being. Future research could diversify the sample and employ longitudinal designs.

Indexed as

StudentsAdolescentAdultAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionFemaleHumansMalePrevalenceRisk FactorsSaudi ArabiaSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUniversitiesDepressionFactorInternational university studentsPHQ-8PrevalenceRiskSaudi Arabia

Identifiers

PMID39523315
PMCPMC11552126

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.