A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies exploring prevalence of non-specific anxiety in undergraduate university students

Table 2 Subgroup analyses showing prevalence of non-specific anxiety symptoms (n=83 studies)

Sub-analysis	Studies (N)	Participants (N)	Pooled non-specific anxiety prevalence (%)	Lower 95% CI	Upper 95% CI	Heterogeneity (I²)
*Outcome measure*
DASS-A^a	37	34606	52.10%	45.78	58.42	99.33%*
GAD-7	13	9564	30.27%	20.41	40.12	99.47%*
BAI	12	5448	36.29%	29.45	43.12	96.50%*
HADS-A	6	2156	37.20%	28.77	45.64	94.04%*
SAS	4	45789	16.47%	8.25	24.7	99.41%*
BSI-ANG	2	2131	27.64%	25.74	29.54	n/a
SCL-90-A	2	1071	14.83%	12.73	16.92	n/a
PHQ-A	2	2273	0.36%	0.12	0.61	n/a
*Course of study*
Medicine only	38	20565	37.42%	30.77	44.06	99.83%*
Mixture of courses	23	64,814	37.40%	31.95	42.86	99.33%*
Nursing only	6	2742	48.53%	34.05	63.00	98.43*
Dentistry only	2	376	58.76%	53.93	63.59	n/a
*World Bank classification*
High income	29	34854	36.22%	29.50	42.94	99.60%*
Upper middle income	30	62369	35.95%	31.10	40.80	99.78%*
Lower middle income	22	8527	50.13%	38.30	61.95	99.42%*
Low income	2	660	29.39%	25.91	32.86	n/a
*Study conducted during COVID-19 pandemic*
Pre-pandemic	79	66685	40.42%	35.04	45.80	99.85%*
During pandemic	4	42272	24.34%	16.18	32.50	99.78%*

ISSN: 1471-244X