Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Undergraduate Allied Health Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from Multan, Pakistan: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Undergraduate Allied Health Students

Ayyan Ahmad; Mohsin Sultan; Sameeha Irfan; Khuram Mehboob; Ansa Sultan; Insha Naeem; Sheeraz Shehzad

doi:10.54393/tt.v6i3.274

Authors

Ayyan Ahmad Department of Physical Therapy, Laeeque Rafique Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, Pakistan
Mohsin Sultan Department of Physical Therapy, Laeeque Rafique Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, Pakistan
Sameeha Irfan Department of Physical Therapy, Laeeque Rafique Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, Pakistan
Khuram Mehboob Department of Physical Therapy, Laeeque Rafique Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, Pakistan
Ansa Sultan Department of Physical Therapy, Laeeque Rafique Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, Pakistan
Insha Naeem Department of Physical Therapy, Laeeque Rafique Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, Pakistan
Sheeraz Shehzad Department of Physical Therapy, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology, Multan, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/tt.v6i3.274

Keywords:

Depression, Anxiety, Stress, DASS-21, Undergraduate Students, Mental Health

Abstract

Mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and stress become more widespread in university students all over the world. The involvement of academic pressure, social pressure, and transitional life stages is one of the factors that build psychological distress that may affect academic performance and general well-being. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate students of allied health sciences pursuing their undergraduate degrees at Laeeque Rafique Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 15 to April 20, 2024, including all students of LRIHS. Participants completed a two-part questionnaire comprising socio-demographic details and the standardized DASS-21 scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0 to calculate frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results: Depression prevalence was 3.43% extremely severe, 8.57% severe, 22.57% moderate, 18.29% mild, and 47.14% normal. Anxiety levels were 15.43% extremely severe, 8.57% severe, 23.43% moderate, 7.71% mild, and 44.86% normal. Stress was reported as 2.57% extremely severe, 10.86% severe, 15.71% moderate, 19.71% mild, and 51.14% normal. Female students showed higher stress levels, while male students had relatively higher rates of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The results suggest that undergraduate allied health sciences students experience considerable psychological distress. These findings point to the necessity to invest in specific mental health support, screening, and intervention in academic institutions.

References

Wahed WY and Hassan SK. Prevalence and Associated Factors of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Among Medical Fayoum University Students. Alexandria Journal of Medicine. 2017; 53(1): 77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.ajme.2016.01.005.

Shamsuddin K, Fadzil F, Ismail WS, Shah SA, Omar K, Muhammad NA et al. Correlates of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Malaysian University Students. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2013 Aug; 6(4): 318-23. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2013.01.014.

Asif S, Mudassar A, Shahzad TZ, Raouf M, Pervaiz T. Frequency of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among University Students. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences. 2020 Jul; 36(5): 971. doi: 10.12669/pjms.36.5.1873.

Singh M, Goel NK, Sharma MK, Bakshi RK. Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Students of Punjab University, Chandigarh. Age. 2017; 86(211): 52-8.

Jamali YA, Khan JA, Jamali IA, Shah H, Kumari R. Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Undergraduate Students of Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur: Depression, Anxiety and Stress Among Students. Pakistan Journal of Health Sciences. 2024 Apr 30:99-104. doi: 10.54393/pjhs.v5i04.1384.

Hossain MM, Alam MA, Masum MH. Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress among Students of Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh. Health Science Reports. 2022 Mar; 5(2): e559. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.559.

Ahad A, Chahar P, Haque E, Bey A, Jain M, Raja W. Factors Affecting the Prevalence of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Undergraduate Indian Dental Students. Journal of Education and Health Promotion. 2021 Jul; 10: 266. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1475_20.

Cheung K, Tam KY, Tsang MH, Zhang LW, Lit SW. Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Different Subgroups of First-Year University Students from 4-Year Cohort Data. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2020 Sep; 274: 305-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.041.

Fauzi MF, Anuar TS, Teh LK, Lim WF, James RJ, Ahmad R et al. Stress, Anxiety and Depression among a Cohort of Health Sciences Undergraduate Students: The Prevalence and Risk Factors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021 Mar; 18(6): 3269. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18063269.

Bayram N, Bilgel N. The Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlations of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among a Group of University Students. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2008 Aug; 43(8): 667-72. doi: 10.1007/s00127-008-0345-x.

Muneer A, Riaz M, Masood I, Akbar J, Ahmad S, Hussain T et al. Research Article Incidence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Students of Health Sciences and Non-Health Sciences; A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study from Pakistan. International Journal of Pharmacy and Integrated Health Sciences. 2025; 6(1): 25-36. doi: 10.56536/ijpihs.v6i1.170.

Pinto-Cortez C, Negron PM, Hernández J, Cadenas S, Parra MG, Aros DR. Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Characteristics Associated with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among University Students. Revista Interdisciplinaria de Filosofía y Psicología ISSN. 2024; 718: 5065. doi: 10.4067/S0718-50652024000100216.

Beiter R, Nash R, McCrady M, Rhoades D, Linscomb M, Clarahan M et al. The Prevalence and Correlates of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in A Sample of College Students. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2015 Mar; 173: 90-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.054.

Albasheer O, Al Ageeli E, Aljezani TI, Bakri KA, Jathmi SM, Maashi A et al. Prevalence of Depressive, Anxiety, and Stress Symptoms and Barriers to Mental Health Services among Medical Students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Medicine. 2025 Jan; 104(1): e41185. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000041185.

Al-Garni AM, Shati AA, Almonawar NA, Alamri GM, Alasmre LA, Saad TN et al. Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Students Enrolled at King Khalid University: A Cross-Sectional Study. BioMed Central Public Health. 2025 Jan; 25(1): 354. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21277-7.

Naaz A, Anjum A, Gowami U, Kala K. To Measure the Level of Depression Anxiety and Stress Using a Dass-21-Based Questionnaire on the Students of Shri Guru Ram Rai University, India. Indian Journal of Pharmacy Practice. 2024 Oct; 14(4): 363-8. doi: 10.5530/ijopp.17.4.57.

Malik A, Bashir M, Lodhi FS, Jadoon ZG, Tauqir A, Khan MA. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Using Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scoring System (DASS-21) among the Students of Women Medical and Dental College Abbottabad. Pakistan. Journal of Islamic International Medical College. 2024 Jun; 19: 103-7.

Sanad HM. Stress and Anxiety among Junior Nursing Students During the Initial Clinical Training: A Descriptive Study at College of Health Sciences, University of Bahrain. American Journal of Nursing Research. 2019 Oct; 7(6): 995-9.

Jibeen T. Perceived Social Support and Mental Health Problems among Pakistani University Students. Community Mental Health Journal. 2016 Nov; 52(8): 1004-8. doi: 10.1007/s10597-015-9943-8.

Husain W. Barriers in Seeking Psychological Help: Public Perception in Pakistan. Community Mental Health Journal. 2020 Jan; 56(1): 75-8. doi: 10.1007/s10597-019-00464-y.