Mental health prevalence and predictors among university students in nine countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-national study

Abstract

The student population has been highly vulnerable to the risk of mental health deterioration during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to reveal the prevalence and predictors of mental health among students in Poland, Slovenia, Czechia, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Turkey, Israel, and Colombia in a socioeconomic context during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted among 2349 students (69% women) from May–July 2020. Data were collected by means of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Gender Inequality Index (GII), Standard & Poor's Global Ratings, the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), and a sociodemographic survey. Descriptive statistics and Bayesian multilevel skew-normal regression analyses were conducted. The prevalence of high stress, depression, and generalized anxiety symptoms in the total sample was 61.30%, 40.3%, and 30%, respectively. The multilevel Bayesian model showed that female sex was a credible predictor of PSS-10, GAD-7, and PHQ-8 scores. In addition, place of residence (town) and educational level (first-cycle studies) were risk factors for the PHQ-8. This study showed that mental health issues are alarming in the student population. Regular psychological support should be provided to students by universities.

The Relationship between Mental Health, Educational Burnout and Strategies for Coping with Stress among Students: A Cross-Sectional Study of Poland

“…Over the course of five measurements, the levels of depression, anxiety and stress were significantly higher among female students [38]. Similar results were obtained in international studies of students, where statistically significantly higher scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were observed in females students [39]. In the United States, female students were significantly more likely to report anxiety and PTSD risk symptoms [40].…”

A cross-sectional study of the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate and graduate students in Japan

“…As some studies have shown ( Ochnik et al, 2021 ; Nomura et al, 2021 ; Giusti et al, 2021 ), this study also suggests that females have worse mental health than males.…”

“…Globally, students have been particularly vulnerable in terms of the risk to their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Ochink et al, 2021 ). The campus closures in Japan have left students not only unable to enjoy campus life but also forced them into isolation with little to no contact with others and compelled them to wear masks and maintain social distance.…”

“…In Italy, during the lockdown, students were reported to have experienced more psychological distress than workers ( Marelli et al, 2020 ). Risk factors associated with the worsening of students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic include being female, participation in distance education, exposure to mass media, low levels of social support, previous mental health problems, financial problems, delays in academic activities, and living in a city ( Cao et al, 2020 ; Ma et al, 2020 ; Ochnik et al, 2021 ; Giusti et al, 2021 ). Smoking and consuming alcohol have also been associated with increased risk ( Nomura et al, 2021 ).…”

Gender Difference in the Relationship of Physical Activity and Subjective Happiness Among Chinese University Students

“…This is an intriguing finding against several previous studies in other countries. Ochnik et al (2021) surveyed 2,349 students in nine countries through Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), to demonstrate that female was a credible predictor for GAD-7 and PHQ-8 scores. Another survey in 1,224 Brazilian university students also showed that female predictors for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress according to DASS-21 ( Lopes and Nihei, 2021 ).…”