Mental health problems and correlates among 746 217 college students during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in China

Abstract

Aims Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a major public health concern all over the world. Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general population. This study aimed to assess the mental health problems and associated factors among a large sample of college students during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Methods This cross-sectional and nation-wide survey of college students was conducted in China from 3 to 10 February 2020. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess psychosocial factors, COVID-19 epidemic related factors and mental health problems. Acute stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured by the Chinese versions of the impact of event scale-6, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, respectively. Univariate and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with mental health problems. Results Among 821 218 students who participated in the survey, 746 217 (90.9%) were included for the analysis. In total, 414 604 (55.6%) of the students were female. About 45% of the participants had mental health problems. The prevalence rates of probable acute stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms were 34.9%, 21.1% and 11.0%, respectively. COVID-19 epidemic factors that were associated with increased risk of mental health problems were having relatives or friends being infected (adjusted odds ratio = 1.72–2.33). Students with exposure to media coverage of the COVID-19 ≥3 h/day were 2.13 times more likely than students with media exposure <1 h/day to have acute stress symptoms. Individuals with low perceived social support were 4.84–5.98 times more likely than individuals with high perceived social support to have anxiety and depressive symptoms. In addition, senior year and prior mental health problems were also significantly associated with anxiety or/and depressive symptoms. Conclusions In this large-scale survey of college students in China, acute stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms are prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple epidemic and psychosocial factors, such as family members being infected, massive media exposure, low social support, senior year and prior mental health problems were associated with increased risk of mental health problems. Psychosocial support and mental health services should be provided to those students at risk.

Psychological Distress among Italian University Students Compared to General Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Likewise, knowing of others who are positive does not appear to represent a risk factor to depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. These findings are in contrast with those of previous studies, which found a significantly higher risk of emotional and anxiety disorders among students who had relatives or friends positive for COVID-19 [ 4 , 6 ] or had contact with others who tested positive for COVID-19 [ 14 ]. Moreover, the study of Chi et al found that knowing people who had been isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [ 22 ].…”

“…In Italy, as in the rest of the world, high levels of psychological distress have been found in both the general population and specific categories of workers, such as healthcare workers [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Several studies have also focused on the prevalence of psychological distress in young people who have experienced drastic change in their daily habits, as a result of the closure of schools and universities and the transition to online teaching [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Previous studies have found that university students are at high risk of developing mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression [ 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

“…Therefore, this category might be even more at risk of experiencing high levels of psychological distress as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The reduction of social interactions due to the measures introduced to contain the spread of contagion, the concern for personal health and for the health of family members and friends, the uncertainty about the future and academic progress, but also the financial and work-related worries might affect the psychological well-being and the mental health of university students [ 5 , 6 , 14 , 15 ].…”

Academic Stress and Emotional Well-Being in United States College Students Following Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Consistent with previous research on emotional well-being in college students during COVID-19 (e.g., Ma et al, 2020;Son et al, 2020), a significant proportion (about one-third) of students reported difficulty coping with COVID-19 related disruptions and the elevated levels of stress. Given research showing that college students are at particularly high risk for adverse mental health outcomes (Son et al, 2020), this study demonstrates that these concerns likely persist and, in fact, may be exacerbated by the pandemic.…”

A Journey Like No Other: Anatomy 2020!

“…It is not surprising that mental health organizations across the globe have reported a rise in mental health issues during 2020 (Ma et al, 2020; Sahu, 2020). Past research on epidemics or other traumatic events indicate that such events can lead to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and sedentary time as well as a willingness to engage in social isolation (Cao et al, 2020; Huckins et al, 2020; Rajkumar, 2020).…”