Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among science and medical students at a university in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2022 and January 2023 at the College of Medicine and College of Science at a university in Saudi Arabia. A validated web-based multiple-choice questionnaire (the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) was distributed to all undergraduate students of the two colleges.
Results: A high proportion of non-medical science students (43%) and medical students (44%) reported symptoms of depression. No significant association was found between gender and education level in terms of depression risk. Among medical students, younger individuals (aged 18–24 years) exhibited significantly higher rates of depression (46.2%, p-value = 0.045) compared to older students (aged 25–34 years, 25.9%). Science students experienced more severe (65.4% vs. 34.6%) difficulties with depressive symptoms compared to medical students.
Conclusion: Depression was highly prevalent among both medical and science students. Early detection and intervention strategies are recommended, with further research required to confirm the results of the present study.

Key words: Depression, medical students, science students, mental health, Saudi Arabia