Laura Ballester1, Itxaso Alayo2, Gemma Vilagut2, José Almenara3, Ana Isabel Cebrià4, Enrique Echeburúa5, Andrea Gabilondo6, Margalida Gili7, Carolina Lagares3, José Antonio Piqueras8, Miquel Roca7, Victoria Soto-Sanz8, Maria Jesús Blasco2, Pere Castellví9, Philippe Mortier2, Ronny Bruffaerts10, Randy P Auerbach11, Matthew K Nock12, Ronald C Kessler13, Alonso Jordi14. 1. Health Services Research Group, IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d´Investigacions Mèdiques), Barcelona, Spain; Girona University (UdG), Girona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. 2. Health Services Research Group, IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d´Investigacions Mèdiques), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. 3. University of Cádiz (UCA), Spain. 4. Department of Mental Health, Corporació Sanitaria ParcTaulí, Sabadell, Spain; CIBER Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain. 5. University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), San Sebastián, Spain. 6. BioDonostia Health Research Institute, Osakidetza, San Sebastián, Spain. 7. InstitutUniversitarid'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS-IDISPA), University of Balearic Islands (UIB), Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 8. Miguel Hernandez University of Elche (UMH), Spain. 9. School of Medicine, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain. 10. Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum, KULeuven (UPC-KUL), Center for Public Health Psychiatry, KULeuven, Leuven, Belgium. 11. Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States. 12. Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States. 13. Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 14. Health Services Research Group, IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d´Investigacions Mèdiques), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jalonso@imim.es.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The university period carries risk for onset of common mental disorders. Epidemiological knowledge on mental disorders among Spanish university students is limited. AIMS: To estimate lifetime and 12-month prevalence, persistence and age-of-onset of mental disorders among Spanish first-year university students, as well as associated role impairment and mental health treatment use. METHODS: First-year university students (N=2,118; 55.4% female; mean age=18.8 years) from five Spanish universities completed a web-based survey, screening possible DSM-IV mental disorders (major depressive episode(MDE), mania/hypomania, generalized anxiety disorder(GAD), panic disorder(PD), alcohol abuse/dependence(AUD), drug abuse/dependence(DUD), and adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)). Role impairment and treatment associated with mental disorders were assessed. RESULTS: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of any possible mental disorder was 41.3%(SE=1.08) and 35.7%(SE=1.05), respectively. Persistence (i.e., ratio of 12-month to lifetime prevalence) was 86.4%(SE=1.58). Median age-of-onset was 14 for adult ADHD, 15 for mood disorders and AUD, and 16 for anxiety disorders and DUD. One third (29.2%) of 12-month disorders were associated with role impairment. Twelve-month PD (OR=4.0;95%CI=1.9-8.5) had the highest odds for role impairment. Only 12.6% of students with 12-month disorder received any mental health treatment. Twelve-month treatment was the highest among those students with 12-month GAD (OR=7.4;95%CI=3.7-14.8). LIMITATIONS: The assessment of mental disorders was based on self-reports. Cross-sectional nature of the data prevents causal associations. CONCLUSION: One third of Spanish university students report a common mental disorder in the past year, and one third of those report severe role impairment. Only one out of eight students with 12-month mental disorders receives mental health treatment.
BACKGROUND: The university period carries risk for onset of common mental disorders. Epidemiological knowledge on mental disorders among Spanish university students is limited. AIMS: To estimate lifetime and 12-month prevalence, persistence and age-of-onset of mental disorders among Spanish first-year university students, as well as associated role impairment and mental health treatment use. METHODS: First-year university students (N=2,118; 55.4% female; mean age=18.8 years) from five Spanish universities completed a web-based survey, screening possible DSM-IV mental disorders (major depressive episode(MDE), mania/hypomania, generalized anxiety disorder(GAD), panic disorder(PD), alcohol abuse/dependence(AUD), drug abuse/dependence(DUD), and adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)). Role impairment and treatment associated with mental disorders were assessed. RESULTS: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of any possible mental disorder was 41.3%(SE=1.08) and 35.7%(SE=1.05), respectively. Persistence (i.e., ratio of 12-month to lifetime prevalence) was 86.4%(SE=1.58). Median age-of-onset was 14 for adult ADHD, 15 for mood disorders and AUD, and 16 for anxiety disorders and DUD. One third (29.2%) of 12-month disorders were associated with role impairment. Twelve-month PD (OR=4.0;95%CI=1.9-8.5) had the highest odds for role impairment. Only 12.6% of students with 12-month disorder received any mental health treatment. Twelve-month treatment was the highest among those students with 12-month GAD (OR=7.4;95%CI=3.7-14.8). LIMITATIONS: The assessment of mental disorders was based on self-reports. Cross-sectional nature of the data prevents causal associations. CONCLUSION: One third of Spanish university students report a common mental disorder in the past year, and one third of those report severe role impairment. Only one out of eight students with 12-month mental disorders receives mental health treatment.
Authors: Daniel Vigo; Laura Jones; Richard Munthali; Julia Pei; Jean Westenberg; Lonna Munro; Carolina Judkowicz; Angel Y Wang; Brianna Van den Adel; Joshun Dulai; Michael Krausz; Randy P Auerbach; Ronny Bruffaerts; Lakshmi Yatham; Anne Gadermann; Brian Rush; Hui Xie; Krishna Pendakur; Chris Richardson Journal: BJPsych Open Date: 2021-03-19
Authors: Vanessa Blanco; Mar Salmerón; Patricia Otero; Fernando L Vázquez Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-29 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Elisabet Montoro-Fernández; Antonio Ramón Cárdenas-Gutiérrez; Antonio Bernal-Guerrero Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-02-23 Impact factor: 3.390