Depression among adolescents, aged 13-19 years, attending secondary schools in Trinidad: prevalence and associated factors.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of depression and psychosocial factors associated with depression in secondary school students in Trinidad


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of a stratified random sample of public secondary schools utilizing a modified pre-tested self-administered Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to detect depression in students aged 13-19 years in Trinidad.


RESULTS
In this study, 1290 students participated, a response rate of 79.6%; 43% were aged 13-15 years; 53.6% were Indo-Trinidadians; 82.5% were attending co-educational schools and 70.6% lived with both parents. The prevalence of depression was 25.3% +/- 2.37%. Chi-square analysis revealed statistically significant associations between depression and the categories of age, gender, living arrangements and school type. Similar findings were observed for respondents who admitted to cigarette and alcohol use or to being afraid of or being injured by their parent (p < 0.05). Logistic regression indicated that females were 1.7 times as likely to be depressed when compared with males; respondents not living with both parents were 1.5 times as likely to be depressed as those who were. Respondents reporting that they were afraid of parents or of being injured by parents were three times as likely to be depressed as respondents who had not had those experiences.


CONCLUSIONS
One out of every four secondary school students in Trinidad was found to have significant depression. There were strong associations between depression and age, gender, school type and family structure. This study identifies that many adolescents experience violence in the home and those who did were more likely to be depressed.
Maharaj
R G
RG
Unit of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. rohan.maharaj@sta.uwi.edu
Alli
F
F
Cumberbatch
K
K
Laloo
P
P
Mohammed
S
S
Ramesar
A
A
Rampersad
N
N
Roopnarinesingh
N
N
Ramtahal
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D003625:Data Collection; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult