Depressive Symptom Patterns and Digital Screen Exposure Among Adults in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study With...

Depression is a major global health concern, yet population-based evidence on depressive symptom patterns and associated lifestyle factors in Qatar remains limited. Understanding symptom distribution is important for informing nurse-led prevention and early identification strategies.

A cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted using data from 1098 adults enrolled in the Qatar Biobank. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarized total scores, severity categories and individual symptoms. Bivariate analyses and hierarchical multivariable regression were conducted to examine associations between depressive symptoms and selected sociodemographic and behavioural variables including screen-based digital device exposure (television, mobile phone, tablet and computer).

The mean nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score was 5.28, indicating overall low symptom severity. More than half of participants (52.7%) reported no depressive symptoms, while 30.9% reported mild symptoms. Moderate to severe symptoms were observed in a minority of participants. Low energy and sleep-related symptoms were most frequently reported, whereas suicidal ideation was least endorsed. Higher screen-based digital device use showed small but statistically significant associations with multiple depressive symptoms (r≈0.06-0.10), indicating small effect sizes with limited clinical significance, although these associations were not retained after adjustment in multivariable analysis.

Depressive symptoms in this population were generally mild. The findings highlight the relevance of symptom-focused assessment and consideration of digital behaviours in psychiatric and mental health nursing practice, supporting nurse-led preventive and health promotion initiatives in Qatar.

Psychiatric and mental health nurses are central to early identification and prevention of depressive symptoms in primary care and community settings in Qatar. This study provides population-based evidence on depressive symptom patterns and their associations with screen-based digital device exposure among adults. Findings support symptom-focused screening beyond total depression scores and highlight the need to routinely assess digital behaviours, sleep-related complaints and fatigue as part of nurse-led mental health assessment. The results inform culturally responsive health promotion, brief interventions and referral pathways that nurses can implement to prevent progression from mild symptoms to clinically significant depression.