Objectives We compared the prevalence of mental health disorders (MHD) among university students and non-student peers profiting from data obtained at the largest Brazilian health survey. Study design Cross-sectional analysis from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey, a nationwide representative household probability survey. Methods We included participants between 18 and 24 years, classifying them as university students, if attending undergraduate or postgraduate education, or as non-students otherwise. Outcomes included self-reported lifetime diagnoses of depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other psychiatric conditions, as well as screening for depression using the PHQ-9. Prevalence ratios were calculated using Poisson regression models controlling for sociodemographic variables and access to health services. Sex and income were evaluated as effected modifiers through stratified analysis. Results Among 12,633 young adults (2269 students; 10,364 non-students), students were more frequently women, White, from higher-income households, and greater health service access. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, compared to non-students, university students presented Adjusted PR(APR) of 1.58 IC 95% 0.99–2.54 for self-reported depression, APR 1.21 IC 95% 0.85-1.71 for a positive screening for depression, and APR 1.26 IC 95% 0.89–1.8 for any other psychiatric diagnosis. Among males, students presented higher PR for all outcomes, but associations were non-significant among females. Conclusions MHD prevalence among Brazilian university students was comparable to non-students indicating that MH may be a broader public health challenge among youth, irrespectively of university attendance. Inside universities, better understanding of vulnerable populations is necessary to plan prevention strategies, particularly for men.
Mota et al. (Fri,) studied this question.