The aim of this study is to elucidate the prevalence of depression and examine the contributing factors to depression among adolescents in Xinjiang, China. A stratified cluster sampling methodology was employed in this study, with the sample size determined through consideration of prior studies on adolescent depression. Employing this approach, 6 schools were chosen from each prefecture-level city, designated as urban areas, and 3 schools were selected from each county. Subsequently, individual classes were treated as units, and a minimum of 80 students from each grade were surveyed within the entire class. The investigation of adolescents involved the administration of a questionnaire assessing the factors influencing depression, along with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Multivariate linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of depression. The occurrence rates of depression were 12.17%, 13.05%, 12.32%, and 9.29% in junior middle school, senior middle school, vocational high school, and college, respectively. The corresponding CES-D scores were 10.54 ± 8.26, 11.20 ± 8.37, 12.17 ± 6.94, and 11.33 ± 6.28. Significant associations with the CES-D score were observed for gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, and spending more than 4 hours online daily across the educational levels mentioned. The risk of experiencing depressive symptoms was elevated among female junior and senior high school students who spent more than 4 hours daily on the internet, engaged in cigarette smoking, and consumed alcohol. The findings underscore the significance of targeting high-risk groups, particularly through home-school collaborations, to mitigate excessive internet use and consequently reduce the likelihood of depressive symptoms in students.
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