A dataset on the prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students in Bangladesh.

The data presented here relate to the article with the following title, "Prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study findings from Dhaka, Bangladesh" [1]. This article provides a dataset on the prevalence of psychological distress among 451 female university students during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We collected their responses from October 15, 2021, to January 15, 2022, using Google survey tools (Google Forms). A structured questionnaire was prepared, consisting of sociodemographic variables and their association with mental health problems. Three psychometric scales, UCLA-3, GAD-7, and PHQ-9, were applied to measure disorders of loneliness, anxiety, and depression, respectively. We performed the statistical analysis using IBM SPSS (v. 25.0). Each respondent gave their electronic consent for the study, and anonymized data were published. Hence, policymakers of government and non-government groups may utilize the data to create a variety of initiatives to support the mental health of female university students from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Corrigendum to "Prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study findings from Dhaka, Bangladesh" [Heliyon 8 (10) (October 2022) Article e10890].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10890.].

Elevated Serum Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Levels are Associated With Major Depressive Disorder.

Background: Previous studies have suggested the involvement of an activated inflammatory process in major depressive disorder (MDD), as altered expression of inflammatory cytokines is observed in depression. This alteration can be the cause or a consequence of MDD. However, acknowledging inflammatory cytokines as prospective biomarkers would aid in diagnosing or guiding better therapeutic options. Therefore, we designed this study to assess the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in depression. Method: We collected blood samples from 115 MDD patients and 113 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age and sex. MDD patients were diagnosed by a qualified psychiatrist based on the symptoms mentioned in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). We applied the Hamilton depression (Ham-D) rating scale to assess the severity of depression. We assessed serum levels of MIF using ELISA kit (Boster Bio, USA). Result: We detected increased serum MIF levels in MDD patients compared to HCs (6.15 ± 0.23 ng/mL vs 3.95 ± 0.21 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Moreover, this increase is more among female patients than female controls. Also, we noticed a positive correlation between altered MIF levels and the Ham-D scores (r = 0.233; P = 0.012), where we found that patients who scored higher on the Ham-D scale had higher MIF levels in serum. Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve represented the good diagnostic performance of altered serum MIF. Conclusion: Our study findings indicate the association of pro-inflammatory cytokine MIF in the pathophysiology of depression as we identified elevated serum MIF levels in depressive patients compared to HCs. However, more researches are required to confirm whether this alteration of cytokine is the causative factor or a consequence of depression. We recommend conducting further studies to understand the pattern of this alteration of MIF levels in MDD patients.

Prevalence and associated risk factors for mental health problems among female university students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study findings from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously affected the physical and mental health of people at all levels worldwide. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and contributing factors for mental health problems among female university students in the urban area of Bangladesh. We conducted this online cross-sectional study among 451 female university students. Here we assessed the symptomatic prevalence of common mental health problems among the participants. The prevalence rate of loneliness, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among female university students in Bangladesh was 55.88%, 69.18%, and 45.23%, respectively. Also, we noticed that mild, moderate, and severe symptoms of loneliness, generalized anxiety, and depression were 36.90%, 40.48%, and 22.62%; 48.08%, 22.44%, and 29.48%; and 37.31%, 26.87%, and 35.52%; respectively. According to the present study results, marital status, financial condition, education level, and family structure (nuclear/joint) are potential contributing factors to mental health problems among female university students living in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the academic performance and emotional well-being of students in Bangladesh. Also, the closure of university classes for a long time in Bangladesh was responsible for the poor mental health of students. Promoting good mental health has become a vital public health concern during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Female university students residing in urban areas in Bangladesh are more prone to developing mental health problems during any crisis. Therefore, the healthcare authorities of Bangladesh should promote the good mental health of students during and after the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping in touch with students to support them psychologically and mentally during the pandemic is crucial for promoting their good mental health.