Determinants of anxiety and depression among university teachers during third wave of COVID-19

BACKGROUND: To estimate the determinants of anxiety and depression among university teachers in Lahore, Pakistan, during COVID-19. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted by enrolling 668 teachers from the universities of Lahore, Pakistan. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Chi-square for significance and logistic regression for the association were used. RESULTS: Majorly, the university teachers, with an average age of 35.29 years, had regular jobs (72.8%), job experience of > 6 years (51.2%) and good self-reported health (55.4%). The majority of the teachers were working as lecturers (59.6%), lecturing in arts (33.5%) or general science (42.5%) departments, having MPhil (37.9%) or master (28.9%) degrees, and teaching via synchronous video (59.3%) mode. Anxiety and depression, severe and extremely severe, were higher among lecturers, MPhil or master degree holders, teachers lecturing arts and general science subjects, and in those on contract employment. Anxiety was significantly associated with academic departments; arts (OR;2.5, p = 0.001) and general science (OR;2.9, p = 0.001), poor health status (OR;4.4, p = 0.018), and contractual employment (OR;1.8, p = 0.003). Depression was associated with academic departments; arts (OR;2.7, p = 0.001) and general science (OR;2.5, p = 0.001), and health status (OR;2.3, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among university teachers, anxiety and depression, severe and extremely severe, were prevalent among lecturers having MPhil or master degrees, belonging to arts and general science departments, and among contract employees. Anxiety and depression were significantly associated with academic disciplines, lower cadre, and poor health status. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-023-04733-9.