Prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Dan Dan Xu; Wen Wang Rao; Xiao Lan Cao; Si Ying Wen; Feng Rong An; Weng Ian Che; Daniel T. Bressington; Teris Cheung; Gabor S. Ungvari; Yu Tao Xiang

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.034

Prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Dan Dan Xu, Wen Wang Rao, Xiao Lan Cao, Si Ying Wen, Feng Rong An, Weng Ian Che, Daniel T. Bressington, Teris Cheung, Gabor S. Ungvari, Yu Tao Xiang

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Backgrounds:

Depression in children and adolescents is usually under-recognized. The findings of epidemiological studies on depressive symptoms in primary school students are inconsistent across studies. This study reports a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China.

Methods: Literature search was performed in both international (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Internet, WANFANG Data and Chinese Biological Medical Literature) databases. The random-effects model was used to analyze data.

Results: Twenty-seven studies involving 42,374 subjects were included. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in Chinese primary school students was 17.2% (95% CI: 14.3%-20.5%). Subgroup analyses found that the prevalence significantly varied between geographic regions, with western China reporting the highest prevalence. Meta-regression analyses found that year of survey and study quality were significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms.

Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and its negative health outcomes, preventive measures, regular screening and effective treatments need to be implemented for this population.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	20-27
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume	268
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.034
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2020
Externally published	Yes

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@article{c9c4235577604667b1225f714171f3ba,

title = "Prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis",

abstract = "Backgrounds: Depression in children and adolescents is usually under-recognized. The findings of epidemiological studies on depressive symptoms in primary school students are inconsistent across studies. This study reports a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China. Methods: Literature search was performed in both international (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Internet, WANFANG Data and Chinese Biological Medical Literature) databases. The random-effects model was used to analyze data. Results: Twenty-seven studies involving 42,374 subjects were included. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in Chinese primary school students was 17.2% (95% CI: 14.3%-20.5%). Subgroup analyses found that the prevalence significantly varied between geographic regions, with western China reporting the highest prevalence. Meta-regression analyses found that year of survey and study quality were significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and its negative health outcomes, preventive measures, regular screening and effective treatments need to be implemented for this population.",

keywords = "China, Depressive symptoms, Meta-analysis, Prevalence, Primary school students",

author = "Xu, {Dan Dan} and Rao, {Wen Wang} and Cao, {Xiao Lan} and Wen, {Si Ying} and An, {Feng Rong} and Che, {Weng Ian} and Bressington, {Daniel T.} and Teris Cheung and Ungvari, {Gabor S.} and Xiang, {Yu Tao}",

note = "Funding Information: The study was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project for investigational new drug ( 2018ZX09201-014 ), and the University of Macau ( MYRG2019-00066-FHS ). Funding Information: The study was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project for investigational new drug (2018ZX09201-014), and the University of Macau (MYRG2019-00066-FHS). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2020",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.034",

language = "English",

volume = "268",

pages = "20--27",

journal = "Journal of Affective Disorders",

issn = "0165-0327",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China

T2 - A systematic review and meta-analysis

AU - Xu, Dan Dan

AU - Rao, Wen Wang

AU - Cao, Xiao Lan

AU - Wen, Si Ying

AU - An, Feng Rong

AU - Che, Weng Ian

AU - Bressington, Daniel T.

AU - Cheung, Teris

AU - Ungvari, Gabor S.

AU - Xiang, Yu Tao

N1 - Funding Information: The study was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project for investigational new drug ( 2018ZX09201-014 ), and the University of Macau ( MYRG2019-00066-FHS ). Funding Information: The study was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project for investigational new drug (2018ZX09201-014), and the University of Macau (MYRG2019-00066-FHS). Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/5/1

Y1 - 2020/5/1

N2 - Backgrounds: Depression in children and adolescents is usually under-recognized. The findings of epidemiological studies on depressive symptoms in primary school students are inconsistent across studies. This study reports a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China. Methods: Literature search was performed in both international (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Internet, WANFANG Data and Chinese Biological Medical Literature) databases. The random-effects model was used to analyze data. Results: Twenty-seven studies involving 42,374 subjects were included. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in Chinese primary school students was 17.2% (95% CI: 14.3%-20.5%). Subgroup analyses found that the prevalence significantly varied between geographic regions, with western China reporting the highest prevalence. Meta-regression analyses found that year of survey and study quality were significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and its negative health outcomes, preventive measures, regular screening and effective treatments need to be implemented for this population.

AB - Backgrounds: Depression in children and adolescents is usually under-recognized. The findings of epidemiological studies on depressive symptoms in primary school students are inconsistent across studies. This study reports a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China. Methods: Literature search was performed in both international (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Internet, WANFANG Data and Chinese Biological Medical Literature) databases. The random-effects model was used to analyze data. Results: Twenty-seven studies involving 42,374 subjects were included. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in Chinese primary school students was 17.2% (95% CI: 14.3%-20.5%). Subgroup analyses found that the prevalence significantly varied between geographic regions, with western China reporting the highest prevalence. Meta-regression analyses found that year of survey and study quality were significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and its negative health outcomes, preventive measures, regular screening and effective treatments need to be implemented for this population.

KW - China

KW - Depressive symptoms

KW - Meta-analysis

KW - Prevalence

KW - Primary school students

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DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.034

M3 - Review article

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SN - 0165-0327

VL - 268

SP - 20

EP - 27

JO - Journal of Affective Disorders

JF - Journal of Affective Disorders

ER -

Prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

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