Health-Related Quality of Life and Depressive Symptomatology in High School Students during the Lockdown Period Due to SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the prevalence of health-related quality of life and depressive symptomatology in high school students during the lockdown period due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with students attending the High School Education System of the University of Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Through a Google Forms survey, students answered their perceptions of health-related quality of life and depressive symptomatology. The outcome variable was the presence of depressive symptoms, assessed using the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.8 in both surveys. A total of 1446 students participated (women, 64.9%; mean age of 16.1 ± 0.9 years). Among the students, 22% manifested clinical depressive symptoms (24.4 ± 5.0), and males showed lower scores on health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms (44.9 ± 11.9, p = 0.005) (12 ± 7.7, p = <0.001) compared to their female peers (45.2 ± 10.6, p = 0.005) (13.7 ± 7.5, p = <0.001), respectively. During the lockdown due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a high prevalence of depressive symptomatology was identified in our students with in addition to a low perception of health-related quality of life in dimensions, mood and emotions, and peers and social support.