• Refat Zahan
• Quazi Zahangir Hossain

To assess the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among rural adolescent descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 254 purposively selected students between standards VI to IX in Khulna division from October 10 -14, 2023 following semi-structered questionnaire and PHQ-9 scale. Around 71.3% of the participants was of age between 13-15 years and 52.8% were female and 47.2% were male. Where 96.9% follows Islam and 34.3% were in class vi. About 53.9.% of the participants mother’s education were upto secondary level and 31.9% respondent’s father occupation was Business and 33.9% of respondents monthly family income was around 10k – 15k Bdt. Majority of repondents 50.4% have 2 sibling and 76.4% were in nuclear family. Most of the respondents 69.7% were in lower middle class family. Most of the respondent 86.6% used mobile phone among them 72.4% used smart phone. It was observed that 43.7% of the participants used mobile phone 1hour per day and 43.7% browsed Youtube regularly. Most of the respondents 71.7% played outdoor games like balikhela, danguli khela, dariyabanda, golap-togor, gollachut, Ha-du-du, Cock fight, cricket, running, football match. Majority 71.7% had history of sleeping 7-9 hours per day. Among all respondents 92.9% were non-smoker. According to Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 (PHQ-9) scale Positive depression indicates - moderate to severe depression where (PHQ-9 is ≥10). Most of the respondents 18.1% are suffering from Positive depression and 81.9% are suffering from Negative depression. and among all respondent around 40.55% showed difficulty his/her daily work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people. Maximum number of cases (positive depression= 5.51% ) with positive depression found among studying in class 8 .The depression is highly associated with age between 13-15 years old (x2=29.330 & p<0.000), associated with class standard (x2=28.544 & p<0.005). This study finds that depression is more in family income 10000-15000 bdt (x2=53.473 & p<0.000). Depression is highly associated with sleeping hours 7-9 hours (x2=19.373 & p<0.005), and smoking habit (x2=14.793 & p<0.005), browsing site Youtube (x2=28.604 & p<0.005). Good health & well- being is one of the mentioned goals in the 17 SDG’s by the UN in 2015. The official wording is To ensure healthy lives & Promote well being for at all ages. These goals have to be completed with in the year 2030. Thats why the government is also concern about the mental health since it is the young generation which is affecting leading them toward co-morbid conditions & self-harming tendency. According to WHO the fourth leading cause of suicide among adolescents is mental health disorder mostly anxiety and depression. Globally, adolescent mental health accounts for 13% of the disease burden (WHO, 2022). This study shows that depression is an alarming issues for the rural adolescents in Khulna Division and there are some associated factors regarding this condition which may lead to progressive mental health disorder.

Adolescent, PHQ-9, Depression.

"PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG RURAL ADOLESCENTS IN KHULNA DIVISION, SOUTHWEST BANGLADESH", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 2, page no.a672-a681, February-2024, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2402087.pdf

"PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG RURAL ADOLESCENTS IN KHULNA DIVISION, SOUTHWEST BANGLADESH", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 2, page no. ppa672-a681, February-2024, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2402087.pdf