ASSESSMENT OF DEPRESSION STATUS AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS IN UAE

Abstract

Background: World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized depression as the fourth leading cause of disease burden in the world and it is a disorder 
that can appear at any stage of a person’s life. Adolescents and adults are susceptible to depression and it is very common due to many factors. Objective: 
The present study is held to assess the depression status and its causes among adolescents and adults as well as to determine the percentage of adolescents 
and adults who are exposed to be depressed and find out the main causes that may lead to depression. Methods: The study included 4,998 participants 
between the ages of 15-35 years old. The responses were taken from respondents in the waiting rooms of some hospitals in Dubai and it was distributed 
in the social media as well. The results were analysed using MS Excel. Results: The results reflect that 13.92% of respondents spend their time alone 
followed by 8.02% and 8.60% representing time spent with friends and families then time spent sleeping respectively. In terms of future prospects, 
39.55% of respondents think their future seems hopeful, which is a sign that people have fewer negative thoughts toward the future. Conclusion: Most 
of participants tend to spend their time on social media or alone and most of them lost their interest in their daily activities and have trouble in sleep but 
on the other hand, most of them think their future seems hopeful.