Depression, anxiety, and stress among urban and rural adolescents in Shivamogga, Karnataka

Abstract

Background: Currently there are 1.3 billion adolescents worldwide, which makes up 16% of the world population. Over 20% of adolescents around the world are thought to have behavioural or mental health issues. Addressing mental health issues is very important for the promotion of positive health in adolescents. Methods: The objective of our study was to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents in urban and rural areas of Shivamogga. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 adolescents aged 16 to 19 years each from urban and rural areas of Shivamogga. Results: Depression, anxiety and stress were found to be 23.1%, 29.4% and 26.6% in urban areas and 19.1%, 24% and 21.1% in rural areas respectively. Conclusions: About a quarter of the adolescent population suffers from depression anxiety and stress. Adopting and implementing better education and health policies are necessary to enhance adolescent mental health.