Investigating the prevalence of and factors associated with depressive symptoms among urban and semi-urban school adolescents in Bangladesh: a pilot study

BACKGROUND: Adolescent depression is an alarming issue for Bangladesh since a large number of Bangladeshi adolescents suffer from depression but cannot get proper treatment. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression and factors associated with this psychological health hazard among urban and semi-urban adolescents of the Dhaka region in Bangladesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional pilot study was performed among 311 adolescents, grades 8–10, in Dhaka city and Savar Upazila, adjacent to the city, in 2018. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of items on sociodemographics, lifestyle information, screen-based sedentary behaviour (SBSB) and mental health. RESULTS: A total of 36.6% of the adolescents reported depressive symptoms, with a greater prevalence among females (42.9%) than males (25.7%). Sociodemographic factors including being female, residence and grade in school were significantly associated with depression. Logistic regression analysis showed that SBSBs, such as the use of social media (odds ratio [OR] 2.06 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.27–3.35]), high screen time (>120 min/day; OR 2.35 [95% CI 1.30–4.25]) and sleep disturbance (OR 3.93 [95% CI 2.37–6.50]) were significantly linked with depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms are prevalent among urban and semi-urban adolescents of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Therefore, urgent initiatives should be taken to curb the spread of depression among Bangladeshi adolescents.