Depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and young adults in Greece: Prevalence and associated factors

Background: Few studies have investigated depression-anxiety in adolescents/young adults in Greece. We examined the prevalence of depression/anxiety and its correlates in a large, representative, population-based sample of young Greeks. Methods: A structured telephone questionnaire was conducted in 2771 adolescents/young adults aged between 15 and 24 years (mean age: 20.47 ± 2.83 years). Depression/anxiety symptoms were assessed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales, respectively. Sociodemographics, mental health, and psychological parameters were also examined. Moderate to severe depression and anxiety symptoms were defined with PHQ-9≥10 and GAD-7≥10, respectively. Analysis was conducted using multivariable linear and logistic regression models. Results: In our sample, 803 (29%) and 416 (15%) participants reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. In multivariable analysis, depression was associated with female sex, younger age, mental health history, substance use, dyslexia, lower quality of life and social seclusion (all p