Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41335167›Full record

ArticleDiscover mental health2025

Predicting depression among public university students in Bangladesh using machine learning models.

Sudha Bhattacharjee, Md Fokhray Hossain, Shabnur Anonna Akhy, Md Monir Hossain Shimul, Md Kamrul Hossain

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Article in Discover mental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Sudha BhattacharjeeDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, Daffodil International University, Dhaka,, 1216, Bangladesh.
Md Fokhray HossainDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, Daffodil International University, Dhaka,, 1216, Bangladesh.
Shabnur Anonna AkhyDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, Daffodil International University, Dhaka,, 1216, Bangladesh.
Md Monir Hossain ShimulDepartment of Public Health, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6443-3265
Md Kamrul HossainDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, Daffodil International University, Dhaka,, 1216, Bangladesh. kamrul.ged@diu.edu.bd.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1917-8701

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMental health challenges, particularly depression, anxiety, and stress, are prevalent among university students worldwide. In Bangladesh, public university students face unique stressors, including financial pressure, academic demands, social isolation, and limited access to mental health services. This study aims to identify key risk factors for depression and develop a predictive model to facilitate early intervention.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted across 15 public universities in Bangladesh, involving 500 students selected through random sampling. Data were collected via an online survey on socio-demographic, academic, and psychological factors. Depression was assessed using a structured questionnaire developed based on PHQ-9 items and aligned with DSM-5 criteria. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to explore the distribution and associated factors. Machine learning models (Random Forest, SVM, KNN, and Logistic Regression) were applied. Independent t-tests were performed on precision, recall, accuracy, F1-score, and specificity to determine the best model.

resultsThe prevalence of depression (85.5%) was higher among students, however, there was no statistical significance (p = 0.095) among male students (87.8%) compared to females (81.9%), though. Lower CGPA (p < 0.001), financial stress (p < 0.001), lack of family support (p < 0.001), exposure to ragging (p < 0.001), and frequent session jams (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with depression. Because of precision, recall, accuracy, F1 score and Specificity; the SVM is best model for the dataset to predict depression. Based on SHAP analysis consultancy service, educational system and session jam were found to be the most influential parameters and addressing them can be a game changer.

conclusionDepression among public university students in Bangladesh are influenced by academic, financial, and institutional factors. Machine learning models, especially SVM offer promising tools for early depression risk prediction, enabling targeted interventions to improve student well-being.

Indexed as

BangladeshDepressionMachine learningMental healthPredictive modelingUniversity students

Identifiers

PMID41335167
PMCPMC12675867

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.