Research: Depression and anxiety prevelance

University students experience high rates of depression and anxiety, with levels higher than those of U.S. students. Risk factors include financial stress, lack of support, first-year status, body image issues, and study hours, with domestic students being more affected than international students. Depressive symptoms and stress were linked to unhealthy behaviours, such as skipping breakfast and poor sleep quality. Despite adequate access to medical and support services, concerns about stigma, privacy, and anonymity in seeking counselling were noted. Monitoring, peer support, culture change, mental health literacy, support services, and destigmatizing counselling are important.

Hussain, R., Guppy, M., Robertson, S. et al. Physical and mental health perspectives of first year undergraduate rural university students. BMC Public Health, 2013. (link)

Lovell, G. P., Nash, K., Sharman, R., & Lane, B. R., A cross-sectional investigation of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms and health-behavior participation in Australian university students. Nursing & health sciences, 2015. (link)

Schofield, M. J., O’halloran, P., Mclean, S. A., Forrester‐knauss, C., & Paxton, S. J., Depressive Symptoms Among Australian University Students: Who Is at Risk? Australian Psychologist, 2016. (link)

Larcombe, W., Finch, S., Sore, R., Murray, C. M., Kentish, S., Mulder, R. A., … Williams, D. A., Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychological distress among students at an Australian university. Studies in Higher Education, 2014. (link)

Farrer, L.M., Gulliver, A., Bennett, K. et al. Demographic and psychosocial predictors of major depression and generalised anxiety disorder in Australian university students. BMC Psychiatry, 2016. (link)