More students with anxiety disorders in urban schools than in rural schools: A comparative study from Union Territory, India

A significant number of adolescents have difficulty during student life and suffer with anxiety disorders that go undetected and untreated. The lack of data exists in this arena in India. This study aimed to assess anxiety disorders among adolescent students in urban and rural areas and compared the differences between these two locations. A cross-sectional, comparative study was carried out among 462 adolescents studying in rural and urban Government schools using stratified cluster random sampling. Data collected on a pre-designed proforma on demographic parameters and used the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) scale for detecting anxiety disorders. Out of 462 subjects, females outnumbered males (n = 237, 51.3 %). The mean age of the sample was 15.85+/0.7 (years); 167 (36 %) subjects had anxiety disorders. All specific anxiety disorders except 'school avoidance' were significantly more in urban school students than in rural students (66.5 % vs. 33.5 %). In a binary logistic regression model, gender (female > male), and locality (urban student > rural student) were significant predictors of the presence of anxiety disorder in this adolescent sample. Adolescent students from the urban schools had a higher prevalence of any anxiety disorder, as well as for specific sub-types than the students from the rural schools.

Automated summary

The study assessed anxiety disorders among adolescent students in urban and rural areas, and found that urban students had a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders. Gender (female > male) and locality (urban student > rural student) were significant predictors of anxiety disorder presence in this adolescent sample.