Zayra Antúnez1, Eugenia V Vinet. 1. Centro de Salud Universitario, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile. zayraantunez@ uach.cl
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The increase in university population in Chile has also increased the number of students presenting mental health disorders. AIM: To determine the frequency of mental health problems and its association with other relevant variables among students of a regional university in Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample of 484 students aged 18 to 28 years (45% males) were assessed once using a battery of tests designed to detect mental health problems. The instruments used were Derogates SCL-90-R, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) and a social-demographic questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of the sample presented high levels of mental health symptoms, determined according to the cut-off points of Beck inventories. This symptomatic group, which also showed high levels of stress, was composed mostly of freshmen and women. There was a significant association between symptoms and socio-demographic variables such as living in rural areas, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, a higher need for psychological and psychiatric care and a lower number of extracurricular activities. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of mental health problems among university students will allow to generate strategies for mental health prevention, promotion and treatment.
BACKGROUND: The increase in university population in Chile has also increased the number of students presenting mental health disorders. AIM: To determine the frequency of mental health problems and its association with other relevant variables among students of a regional university in Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample of 484 students aged 18 to 28 years (45% males) were assessed once using a battery of tests designed to detect mental health problems. The instruments used were Derogates SCL-90-R, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) and a social-demographic questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of the sample presented high levels of mental health symptoms, determined according to the cut-off points of Beck inventories. This symptomatic group, which also showed high levels of stress, was composed mostly of freshmen and women. There was a significant association between symptoms and socio-demographic variables such as living in rural areas, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, a higher need for psychological and psychiatric care and a lower number of extracurricular activities. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of mental health problems among university students will allow to generate strategies for mental health prevention, promotion and treatment.
Authors: José Miguel Valdés; Francisco Javier Díaz; Pascale Marie Christiansen; Gabriel Arturo Lorca; Francisco Javier Solorza; Matías Alvear; Saray Ramírez; Daniel Nuñez; Ricardo Araya; Jorge Gaete Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2022-05-31 Impact factor: 5.435