Depressive symptoms among international university students in northern Japan: Prevalence and associated factors

Abstract Objective The purpose of this article is to investigate the extent of depressive symptoms among international students and the characteristics of those at risk. Methods Evidence is derived from self-administered questionnaire interviews of 480 international students enrolled in a university in northern Japan. Depressive symptoms are measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. The associations of socio-demographic characteristics with depressive symptoms are examined using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results Of the 480 respondents, 197 (41%) have depressive symptoms. The results indicate that gender, course category, and residential arrangement are significantly associated with the risk of having depressive symptoms. Discussion Depressive symptoms are relatively prevalent, but these are not a generalized condition since these tend to occur among specific sub-groups of international students. There is a need to further investigate the mental illness so that those with elevated risks are identified and given support.

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