PREMATURE HAIR GREYING AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
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Keywords
Premature greying of hair; Canities; Stress; Anxiety; Depression; Quality of life; Burnout; Health sciences students; Mental health; Cross-sectional study
Abstract
Background: Premature greying of hair (PGH) is increasingly observed in young adults, especially college students. Genetic, nutritional, lifestyle, and psychological factors contribute to its onset. College students in face unique stressors, making them vulnerable to both PGH and mental health problems.
Aim: To investigate the association between PGH and mental health parameters—stress, anxiety, and depression—among college students.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Index Medical College, Indore, India, over 12 months. A total of 385 students aged 18–25 years from medicine, nursing, and allied health sciences were recruited using stratified random sampling. PGH was assessed using the Graying Severity Score (GSS), and mental health outcomes were measured with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Quality of life and study-related burnout were evaluated with WHOQOL-BREF and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, t-tests, and correlation measures, with significance set at p<0.05.
Results: The prevalence of PGH was 34.8%. Students with PGH had significantly higher mean scores for stress (22.4 vs. 13.8), anxiety (14.5 vs. 9.2), and depression (12.8 vs. 8.5) compared to those without PGH (all p<0.001). PGH was also associated with poorer quality of life across all WHOQOL-BREF domains and higher burnout scores on MBI-SS. Lifestyle factors such as smoking (35.1% vs. 15.1%, p<0.001), undernutrition (29.9% vs. 15.1%, p=0.003), and reduced sleep duration (6.1 vs. 6.9 hours, p<0.001) were more prevalent among the PGH group.
Conclusion: PGH is common among health sciences students and is strongly associated with higher stress, anxiety, depression, reduced quality of life, and study-related burnout. PGH may serve as a visible marker of psychological distress in high-pressure academic environments. Early screening and intervention strategies are recommended.
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Dr Vaibhav chaturvedi
Associate Professor, Department of psychiatry, Index Medical College
Dr Sopan Sardesai
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Index Medical College
Dr Bhavika Mansharamani
Senior Resident, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences
Dr Kanak Dwivedi
PG Resident, Department of Biochemistry, MGM Medical College Indore