Financial Loss and Depressive Symptoms in University Students During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparison Between 23 Countries

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the association between students’ financial loss and depressive symptoms during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and whether this association varied by countries having different levels of lockdown measures.Methods: This cross-sectional survey, conducted in spring 2020, included 91,871 students from 23 countries. Depressive symptoms were measured using the shortened Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and information on lockdowns retrieved from the COVID-19 government response tracker. The association between financial loss and depressive symptoms was investigated estimating prevalence ratios (PR) with multilevel Poisson models.Results: Some 13% of students suffered financial loss during the lockdown and 52% had a relatively high depression score, with large between-countries differences. Minimally and maximally adjusted models showed a 35% (PR = 1.35, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.29–1.42) and 31% (PR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.26–1.37) higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in students who lost economic resources compared to students with stable economic resources. No substantial differences in the association were found across countries.Conclusion: Depressive symptoms were more frequent among students who suffered financial loss during the pandemic. Policy makers should consider this issue in the implementation of COVID-19 mitigating measures.

Mental Health, Loneliness, and Social Support Among Undergraduate Students: A Multinational Study in Asia

“…29 This is important because financial strain during the pandemic has been linked to depressive symptoms. 18,26 According to the findings of Negash et al, 26 financial strain was significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Unfortunately, in this study, we could not assess whether students experienced financial hardship and whether it was associated with their mental health.…”

“…27 It is possible that with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic its stay at home restrictions and business, closures that followed, many university students lost their part-time jobs and consequently experienced a decline in their income. 18,28 Analyzing data from the Japanese Labour Force Survey, Tsurugano et al, 28 found that the number of working students fell by 46% between April 2019 and April 2020. A study from Germany posits that students’ job income declined by 66%.…”

“…Apart from loneliness and social isolation, it is possible that financial concerns experienced by students contributed to poor mental health during the pandemic. 18,26 University students often depend on (part-time) employment to finance their studies and living expenses. 27 It is possible that with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic its stay at home restrictions and business, closures that followed, many university students lost their part-time jobs and consequently experienced a decline in their income.…”

“…Our findings aligned with recent pandemic studies reporting alarming rates of depressive symptoms among university students. 17,18 Chen and Lucock, 17 for instance, investigated the mental health status of university students in the United Kingdom and found that more than 50% of students experienced high levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety, with higher rates among female students. Similarly, Tancredi et al 18 determined in a multinational study of 23 countries that 52% of students reported a high CES-D 8 (8-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) depressive symptom score ranging from 29% in Iceland to 74% in Turkey.…”

The crisis of international education students and responsive service in and after COVID-19 pandemic

“…Minimally and maximally adjusted models showed a 35% higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in students who lost economic resources compared to students with stable economic resources during the lockdown. No substantial differences in the association between students' financial loss and depressive symptoms were found across countries (Tancredi et al, 2022 ). International students often pay several times more in tuition than local students to complete their studies in the host country, which requires financial support from their families or the government.…”