Mental Health and Student Health Professionals: A Literature Review

Abstract

IS article discusses the mental health problems of students, based on a review of previous research studies. Although a university education Is regarded as a .privilege, studying for a degree can be a demanding and stressful experience. Many students experience episodes of psychological distress during their college years. Professional degree programmes (such as occupational therapy or medicine) are particularly stressful relative to some other courses, because students face both academic and clinical demands.The prevalence and causes of psychological distress among trainee health professionals are reviewed. Both institutional and individual factors affecting mental health are explored and some issues about student selection are discussed. The final section suggests how the Institution and academic staff can address the issue of student mental health in a proactive and constructive manner. There are over 3000 occupational therapy students in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the topic of student mental health should be of Interest to academic staff and clinical supervisors.

HIV and sexual health knowledge and sexual experience among Australian-born and overseas-born students in Sydney

“…They are away from the supports that they would normally receive at home, and experience various difficulties such as language, finance and social alienation, and pressure to achieve satisfactory academic objectives within a limited period of time [17,18]. International students have been reported as experiencing a significantly higher level of "homesickness" than local students [19] and are more likely to be diagnosed with psychological distress or clinical depression [20,21]. Although many university students are not yet sexually active, it is possible that all of these factors might affect their later sexual risk behavior.…”

Veterinary students and psychologic services

“…As a result, recommendations for psychologic counseling services for medical students have been made by many. 7,8 The British Medical Association 9 has strongly suggested that medical schools that have not already adopted strategies that recognize the importance of psychologic services review their educational objectives. Whereas most veterinary colleges report recognizing the importance of psychologic services, a far lower percentage have implemented services directed specifically toward veterinary students.…”

Abstracts

“…Professional degree programmes are acknowledged as stressful due to the combination of academic and clinical demands (Tyrrell 1997); however, effective coping strategies can mitigate the impact of stress during academic studies and may also benefit the student post qualification (Everly et al 1994). Few studies address stress in undergraduate occupational therapy programmes, therefore this research investigated occupational therapy students' experience of stress, stressors and coping strategies during campus-based training.…”