Use of anxiolytics/antidepressants among university students in the pre-vaccine period of the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30979/revabeno.v23i1.2170

Keywords:

Anti-Anxiety Agents , Antidepressive Agents, COVID-19, Pandemics, Universities

Abstract

The present study assessed the prevalence of the use of anxiolytics/antidepressants and associated factors among university students in the pre-vaccine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 983 students of public and private universities in Brazil. Data were collected between September and December 2020 with the aid of a questionnaire available on the Survey Monkey® platform addressing socioeconomic data, self-rated health, the use of anxiolytics/antidepressants, history of depression, psychological/psychiatric treatment and aspects of the undergraduate course. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics and Poisson regression with robust variance (α = 5%). The prevalence of anxiolytics/antidepressants use was 15.7%. The use of anxiolytics/antidepressants was associated with the female sex (PR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.03-2.26), dissatisfaction with one’s overall health (PR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.08-1.82), undergoing psychological/psychiatric treatment (PR = 2.85; 95% CI: 1.91-4.22) and a medical diagnosis of depression (PR = 3.44; 95% CI: 2.52-4.70). The female sex, dissatisfaction with one’s own overall health status, undergoing psychological/psychiatric treatment and a medical diagnosis of depression exerted an influence on the use of anxiolytics/antidepressants by undergraduate university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Author Biographies

Myrelle Leal Campos Sousa, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba

Universidade Estadual da Paraíba (UEPB), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil.

Ramon Targino Firmino, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Patos, Paraíba, Brasil.

Rafael Domingos Almeida Durand Gomes, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Campina Grande

Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Campina Grande (UNIFACISA) Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil.

Wanúbia Barbosa Nunes, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba

Universidade Estadual da Paraíba (UEPB), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil.

Matheus França Perazzo, Universidade Federal de Goiás

Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil.

Saul Martins Paiva, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.

Ana Flávia Granville-Garcia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba

Universidade Estadual da Paraíba (UEPB), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil.

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Published

30-11-2023

How to Cite

Sousa, M. L. C., Firmino, R. T., Gomes, R. D. A. D., Nunes, W. B., Perazzo, M. F., Paiva, S. M., & Granville-Garcia, A. F. (2023). Use of anxiolytics/antidepressants among university students in the pre-vaccine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Revista Da ABENO, 23(1), 2170. https://doi.org/10.30979/revabeno.v23i1.2170

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