PREVALENCE OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS

Abstract

The mental health of university students constitutes a public health problem of alarming dimensions, evidencing that the contemporary academic environment operates as a risk context for psychological illness. This study analyzes the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among university students and identifies factors associated with these disorders. The research is characterized as quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional, with a sample of 461 students from a public higher education institution. Data collection employs the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory, validated instruments for population screening. Results reveal a prevalence of 68.3% for moderate to severe anxiety symptoms and 54.7% for clinically significant depressive symptoms. Multivariate analysis identifies independently associated factors: female sex, Black or brown race/color, low family income, high weekly workload, and belonging to health area courses. It is concluded that student psychological suffering does not constitute a random phenomenon, but rather a product of social, economic, and institutional determinations that require structural transformations in educational practices. The study contributes to the formulation of evidence-based institutional policies that promote equity and well-being in higher education.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2025.037-040