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Advanced Neurology Depression and its risk factors in India

but also their families and society. To address the unique counseling, stress management workshops, and supportive
challenges of the cultural context, it is crucial to empower academic environments were incorporated to further
women through education, legal reforms, and stronger promote student well-being (National Education Policy,
enforcement of dowry laws, striving to reverse entrenched Government of India, Ministry of Education).
cultural norms that contribute to stress and therefore After graduation, a significant factor that can increase
depression among women. the risk of depression is unemployment. To grasp its
Academic stress is a common issue that affects students impact on mental health, it is important to understand
worldwide at different levels of education 59-64 due to the what unemployment entails. According to The Economic
high expectations from parents, teachers, and students Times of India, unemployment occurs when individuals
themselves. 65,66 Multiple studies have discussed the high are actively seeking jobs but are unable to find employment
depression rates among Indian students across various (The Economic Times (Indiatimes.com). Among
grades and academic streams (Table 1). Students at medical individuals aged 15 and above, the unemployment rate
colleges, especially those in their final year, showed a significantly dropped in May 2024, falling to 7%, the
notably higher risk of depression due to uncertainties lowest recorded since September 2022. This was a marked
about the future and concerns about job placements. In improvement compared with April 2024, when the
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contrast, students in the humanities and social sciences unemployment rate was at 8.1% (CMIE). Unemployment
generally experience lower stress levels. 59 seriously harms people’s mental health, especially affecting
Increased depression rates among high school young people. Studies have consistently highlighted the
students were found to be linked to diverse stressors, link between unemployment and depression. For example,
including crowded classrooms, examinations, a lack of in Kashmir, Bhat and Joshi observed that unemployed
resources, pressure to select a subject after the tenth youth face greater mental health challenges compared with
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grade, the university admissions process, and adjusting to their employed peers. Likewise, Buvneshkumar et al.
university expectations. An alarmingly high prevalence identified a strong connection between unemployment and
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of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms has also been depression among older adults in Tamil Nadu. Sengupta
found among university students. Leaving home to study and Benjamin reinforced these findings in Punjab: In a
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in distant locations can exacerbate stress and depression study of 3,038 older adults, they noted higher rates of
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as students adapt to new lifestyles and cultures. Various depression among the unemployed. Verma and Mishra
factors, such as lower grades, increased tuition fees, also reported a clear association between unemployment
negative feedback from parents and teachers, discrepancies and increased depression, emphasizing the widespread
between expected and actual grades, socioeconomic impact of unemployment on mental health across age
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status, high aspirations, competition, examinations, and groups.
poor study habits, can contribute to stress among pre- Largely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s
university students, further exacerbating these risks. 63,72-74 unemployment rate increased markedly between 2019
In addition, language barriers, including the dominance and 2021. During this period, economic uncertainties,
of English in multilingual societies like India, can hinder job losses, and social isolation heightened vulnerability
understanding, expression, and academic performance, to depression. One’s employment status also impacts their
leading to frustration, isolation, and increased stress mental health through occupational stress factors such
and anxiety. 63,75 Gender disparities also contribute, with as workload, job insecurity, and lack of control. A 2022
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girls and women experiencing higher stress levels from meta-analysis confirmed the link between unemployment
academic pressure and examinations. 64 and MDD, reporting an odds ratio of 2.06. Notably, the risk
was higher in men (odds ratio: 2.27) than in women (odds
Stress significantly impacts students’ health at all levels, 82
altering vital parameters such as pulse rate, blood pressure, ratio: 1.62).
sleep, and eating habits. These changes highlight the Based on the above, given the significant impact of
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urgent need to address academic stress, demonstrated by unemployment on mental health across various age groups
the alarming suicide rates among students in India. As in India, future efforts to address mental health should
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part of this effort, the Union Government has introduced focus on targeted interventions and policies to address
the New Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020). NEP- unemployment. Research must explore how unemployment
2020, based on the principles of access, equity, quality, affects diverse demographic groups, including youth and
affordability, and accountability, was built to foster older adults, with longitudinal studies offering insights
holistic development, critical thinking, creativity, and into its long-term effects. Addressing structural factors
problem-solving skills. Mental health initiatives such as such as education, skill development, entrepreneurship,

Volume 4 Issue 3 (2025) 39 doi: 10.36922/an.5940