Frequency of depression and correlates among Chinese children and adolescents living in poor areas under the background of targeted poverty alleviation: results of a survey in Weining county

This study aimed to determine the frequency and correlates of depression among children and adolescents in rural China to inform family education and government policy. A cross-sectional online survey (April 20-May 10, 2022) of 23,180 children and adolescents in Weining County, China, used the CES-D to assess depression and analyzed correlative factors. 35.6% (8,261) suffered from depression (CES-D > 15). Depression onset was significantly related to age, grade, gender, parental absence, attending key schools/classes, internet addiction, school record, social relationships, parental occupation, and education status. Multivariate analysis identified female gender, junior middle school attendance, parental absence, attending key schools, attending key classes, and moderate/severe internet addiction as independent risk factors for depression.

Xu Chen, Xiaofei Yuan, Tingting Hu, Xiaorui Zhu, Sixin Dong, Gang Wang, Jiaojiao Zhou