Predicting Australia’s university students’ mental health status

Datos Bibliográficos

ID22945124
AutoresWayne Usher (0000-0003-4227-7174, Griffith University, autor de correspondencia), Clint Curran (Runaway Bay Sport & Leadership Excellence Centre, Sports Super Centre, 1 Sports Drive, Runaway Bay, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia)
Año2019
Volumen34
Número2
Páginas312-322
Fecha de publicación2019-04-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
EditorialOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/dax091
PMID29206924
OpenAlexW2770009055
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas13
Referencias citadas14

University years are a period of increased morbidity and mortality, associated with negative health behaviours and corresponding poor mental health (MH) status amongst students. With this said, the aim of this research was to determine the level of influence a number of predictive factors have on Australia's university students' MH status. A cross-sectional study design, consisting of an online survey was implemented. Psychometric measurement components were based on adopting Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological model approach to collecting descriptive statistics. This approach was concerned with investigating patterns of association between three predictive factors [social emotional wellbeing (SEWB), physical activity (PA) levels and sporting club (SC) involvement], against four domains (personal, university, home and community). This study identified that 25% (n = 571) of participants (n = 2326) indicated that they have been diagnosed with a MH disorder. Specifically, gender, age, negative health behaviours, lower levels of PA and SC involvement and poor SEWB, were found to be significantly and positively associated (p < 0.05*, p < 0.01**) with a MH diagnosis. Importantly, findings from this study indicate that there are significant (positive/negative) associations between the identified predictive factors and participants' MH status. Findings from this study will go towards informing current and future Student Health Service policies, practices and infrastructure allocation that address MH status amongst university students.

Environmental health · Mental health · Psychiatry · Health disparities and outcomes · Health, psychology, and well-being · Medicine · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health