Global Prevalence of Depression Among University Students: A Comprehensive Umbrella Review

Depression has become a major concern for educational institutes due to its increasing incidence and detrimental impacts on students’ well-being. However, its global prevalence in the context of tertiary education remains unclear. This umbrella review summarised existing meta-analyses and systematic reviews to examine the worldwide prevalence of depression among university students. Several sociodemographic and methodological factors, including differences in depression prevalence before, during, and after COVID-19, were examined as moderators. Structured and exhaustive searches were conducted in five bibliographic databases and five journals, alongside two sources of grey literature. A total of 61 meta-analyses and systematic reviews were included in the final synthesis. Review-level sample sizes ranged from 823 to 8,238,954 (Mdn = 24,047), covering all inhabited continents and a broad range of countries across high-, middle-, and low-income settings. The global median prevalence of depression across the included reviews was 32.00%, with reported estimates ranging from 11.00% to 63.00%. Analysis of specific populations highlighted greater vulnerability among female students and those studying in Asia compared to Europe. The pandemic was shown to have contributed to the increase in depression prevalence among university students. Given this high prevalence of depression, there is an imperative need for educational institutions to prioritise mental well-being.