Prevalence of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation symptoms among university students: a systematic review

Several studies have suggested an increase in the prevalence of mental disorders and suicidal ideation among university students. This review aims to determine the current prevalence of university students identified with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation symptoms worldwide. After the survey in five electronic databases utilizing the PRISMA guidelines, 48 articles involving 40 countries and 56,816 students were selected. The results showed a prevalence of 24.5% for anxiety symptoms, 26.1% for depression symptoms, and 18.8% for suicidal ideation. Moreover, the prevalence of all these situations was higher in health students than in the general university population. The high prevalence of mental disorders in university students highlights the importance of strategies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment in this population.