Table 3

Comparisons of self-rated health (SF-12) among university students with and without depressive symptoms

Self-rated health (SF-12)Depressive symptoms*Severe depressive symptoms†
NoYesP values‡NoYesP values‡
Self-perception on general health status<0.001<0.001
 Very good106 (64.2)59 (35.8)147 (89.1)18 (10.9)
 Good380 (58.5)270 (41.5)566 (87.1)84 (12.9)
 Neither good nor poor176 (38.0)287 (62.0)351 (75.8)112 (24.2)
 Poor10 (12.3)71 (87.7)29 (35.8)52 (64.2)
Limitation in moderate activities on a typical day<0.0010.02
 Greatly limited20 (28.2)51 (71.8)50 (70.4)21 (29.6)
 Mildly limited291 (45.6)347 (54.4)505 (79.2)133 (20.8)
 Not limited361 (55.5)289 (44.5)538 (82.8)112 (17.2)
Limitation in climbing several flights of stairs<0.0010.24
 Greatly limited64 (35.8)115 (64.2)140 (78.2)39 (21.8)
 Mildly limited323 (47.8)353 (52.2)536 (79.3)140 (20.7)
 Not limited285 (56.5)219 (43.5)417 (82.7)87 (17.2)
Limitation in other kinds of activities in past 4 weeks271 (37.8)446 (62.2)<0.001516 (72.0)201 (28.0)<0.001
Accomplished less than you would like in past 4 weeks as a result of emotional health377 (61.9)232 (38.1)<0.001553 (50.6)197 (26.3)<0.001
Accomplished less than you would like in past 4 weeks as a result of physical health304 (67.3)148 (32.7)<0.001675 (74.4)232 (25.6)<0.001
Did activities less carefully than usual in past 4 weeks378 (41.8)526 (58.2)<0.001677 (74.9)227 (25.1)<0.001
Pain interferes with your normal work in past 4 weeks<0.001<0.001
 Not at all141 (75.8)45 (24.2)176 (94.6)10 (5.4)
 A little bit401 (57.6)295 (42.4)635 (91.2)61 (8.8)
 Moderately106 (32.9)216 (31.4)216 (67.1)106 (32.9)
 Quite a bit23 (16.5)116 (83.5)62 (44.6)77 (55.4)
 Extremely1 (6.3)15 (93.8)4 (25.0)12 (75.0)
Feeling calm and peaceful in past 4 weeks0.330.06
 A lot of the time22 (42.3)30 (57.7)38 (73.1)14 (26.9)
 Most of the time68 (53.5)59 (46.5)92 (72.9)35 (27.6)
 A good bit of time115 (50.9)111 (49.1)188 (83.2)38 (16.2)
 Some of the time278 (46.8)316 (53.2)477 (80.3)117 (17.7)
 A little of the time170 (51.8)158 (48.2)274 (83.5)54 (16.5)
 None of the time19 (59.4)13 (40.6)24 (75.0)8 (25.0)
Having a lot of energy in past 4 weeks<0.001<0.001
 A lot of the time46 (61.3)29 (38.7)66 (88.0)9 (12.0)
 Most of the time111 (68.9)50 (31.1)149 (92.5)12 (7.5)
 A good bit of time245 (56.8)186 (43.2)383 (88.9)48 (11.1)
 Some of the time207 (41.5)292 (58.5)364 (72.9)135 (27.1)
 A little of the time57 (33.7)112 (66.3)116 (68.6)53 (31.4)
 None of the time6 (25.0)18 (75.0)15 (62.5)9 (37.5)
Feeling downhearted and blue in past 4 weeks<0.001<0.001
 A lot of the time7 (21.9)25 (78.1)14 (43.8)18 (56.3)
 Most of the time8 (8.3)88 (91.7)36 (37.5)60 (62.5)
 A good bit of the time42 (17.9)171 (80.3)117 (54.9)96 (45.1)
 Some of the time222 (46.7)253 (53.3)412 (86.7)63 (13.3)
 A little of the time354 (71.5)141 (28.5)469 (94.7)26 (5.3)
 None of the time39 (81.3)9 (18.8)45 (93.8)3 (6.3)
Physical health interferes social act in past 4 weeks<0.001<0.001
 A lot of the time4 (33.3)8 (66.7)6 (50.0)6 (50.0)
 Most of the time10 (23.3)33 (76.7)18 (41.9)58 (58.1)
 Some of the time146 (38.1)237 (61.9)275 (71.8)108 (28.2)
 A little of the time355 (53.7)306 (46.3)568 (85.9)93 (14.1)
 None of the time157 (60.4)103 (39.6)226 (26.9)34 (13.2)
  • Values are numbers of subjects (%) for categorical variables.

  • *Defined by a Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) score of ≥16.

  • †Defined by a CES-D score of ≥23.

  • ‡χ2 test was used for categorical variables or Fisher’s exact test was used as appropriate.