A Study of the Prevalence of Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Young Adults in Jaipur, India

Abstract

Context: In 2017, one in seven Indians was affected by varying severity of mental disorders, especially impacting the young population and leading to decreased productivity and increased suicide rates among young adults in India. Aims: To find out the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression in students and working professionals in the age group 18 to 30 years in Jaipur. Settings and Design: A Google form was distributed using WhatsApp and Gmail to conduct a survey study. Methods and Materials: The survey research was carried out using a Google form containing a DASS 21 scale questionnaire, which was distributed to young people aged 18 to 30, males and females, in different areas of Jaipur. Data from 382 participants was gathered through Google form and entered into Google Sheets. The data was then manually computed to determine individual scores for stress, anxiety, and depression based on the DASS-21 Scale scoring. Statistical Analysis Used: The statistical analysis was conducted separately for stress, anxiety, and depression to calculate the prevalence percentage. Results: The prevalence observed for Depression was 48.57% with the mean DASS-21 depression score of 6.30±4.77, Anxiety was found to be 58.11% with the mean anxiety score of 6.89±4.25 and Stress was 25.39% with the mean stress score of 7.01±4.05. Conclusions: The research findings indicate that young adults are experiencing a decline in their mental well-being, as evidenced by elevated levels of anxiety and depression compared to stress. Additionally, it is crucial to tackle these mental health issues in these individuals and recommend comprehensive treatment.