Abstract

Hakki Aktas, Gulcin Yapici*, Fazıl Kocas, Cosar Uzun, Fatih Cemal Tekin and Nurten Erdal

ABSTRACT

Objective: It was aimed to investigate between the depression symptom prevalence and related factors among the high school students in a district of Mersin. Materials and Methods: The data of this cross-sectional study were collected in the high schools on 23-31 May 2016. The minimum sample size was calculated as 558 in, 50% prevalence, ±4 error margin and 95% confidence interval for 7791 students. 605 questionnaires were evaluated in the study. The students filled out the questionnaire and Childhood Depression Scale. The electromagnetic field measurements in the classes were made with a Gaussmeter. Results: The average age of the students were 16.3±0.9 years and 54.5% of those are female. It was determined that 32.6% of the students had depressive symptoms. The mean of the electromagnetic field measurement was 0.68 ± 0.06mT in the classroom. There was no significant relationship between mean electromagnetic field level and the frequency of depression symptom. According to the binary logistic regression model, the factors related to the depressive symptom prevalence of the students were as follows: being a woman (OR=1.61), having chronic illness (OR=2.31), poor school performance (OR=5.54), poor (OR=6.64) and normal family relationship (OR=2.59) and the student’s self assessment of his/her health status with low scores (OR=0.86). Conclusion: It is an important problem that one of the three students has depressive symptoms. Studies should be conducted for the identified risk groups. The further studies are needed to assess the relationship between depressive symptom prevalence at students and electromagnetic field levels.