Mental health and academic failure among first-year university students in South Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 008124632096320
Author(s):  
Jason Bantjes ◽  
Wylene Saal ◽  
Franco Gericke ◽  
Christine Lochner ◽  
Janine Roos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Population Attributable Risk ◽  
Academic Failure ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
First Year ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder

Universities in South Africa face ongoing challenges with low rates of academic attainment and high rates of attrition. Our aims were to (1) investigate the extent to which common mental disorders evaluated early in the first year predict academic failure at the end of the year, controlling for sociodemographic factors and (2) establish the potential reduction in prevalence of failure that could be achieved by effectively treating associated mental disorders. Self-report data were collected from first-year students ( n = 1402) via an online survey at the end of the first semester. Participants were assessed for six common mental disorders. Academic performance data were subsequently obtained from institutional records at the end of the year. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the best sociodemographic and mental health predictors of academic failure. Population attributable risk analysis was used to assess the potential impact of treating associated mental disorders. In multivariate logistic regression models controlling for significant sociodemographic factors, the odds of failure were elevated among students with major depressive disorder (aOR = 3.69) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (aOR = 2.05). Population attributable risk analysis suggests that providing effective treatment to students with major depressive disorder and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder could yield a 6.5% absolute reduction in prevalence of academic failure (equivalent to a 23.0% proportional reduction in prevalence of academic failure). Providing effective and accessible campus-based mental healthcare services is integral to supporting students’ academic attainment and promoting transformation at South African universities.

scholarly journals Tobacco and alcohol use, sexual behavior and common mental disorders among military students at the Police Academy, São Paulo, Brazil. A cross-sectional study

2015 ◽  
Vol 133 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-244
Author(s):  
Arlene de Maria Perez ◽  
Isabela Martins Benseñor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Police Academy ◽  
First Year ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The lifestyle of military personnel has been little studied in Brazil. This study evaluated the frequencies of tobacco and alcohol use, sexual behavior and mental health among military students.DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study at the Police Academy, in São Paulo.METHODS: Students answered a questionnaire about tobacco use, alcohol consumption, sexual behavior and common mental disorders (CMDs). To analyze associations among the frequencies of smoking and alcohol use, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and CMDs during the undergraduate years, we built a multinomial logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex.RESULTS: All 473 students were invited to participate and 430 (90.9%) agreed (10.5% were women). Most were white (76.6%), aged < 30 years, from the upper middle class (78.1%). The frequency of smoking was 6.5%, alcohol consumption 69.3%, STDs 14% and CMDs 15.6%. The use of condoms was low. Fourth-year students presented a lower odds ratio (OR) for STDs than the first-year students: 0.44 (95% confidence interval: 0.22-0.90). Third-year students presented a lower OR for CMDs than the first-year students.CONCLUSION: The frequencies of smoking and CMDs were low, while the frequency of alcohol consumption was similar to that of the Brazilian population. The use of condoms was low, in comparison with previous studies with similar samples. The results suggest that there was a certain degree of protection against CMDs and STDs during the undergraduate years.

scholarly journals Onset and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for three years after the triple disaster in Northeast Japan: comparisons with the general population

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norito Kawakami ◽  
Maiko Fukasawa ◽  
Kiyomi Sakata ◽  
Ruriko Suzuki ◽  
Hiroaki Tomita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
First Year ◽  
Temporary Housing ◽  
Community Residents ◽  
Post Disaster

Abstract Background: People living in temporary housing for long periods after a disaster are at risk of poor mental health. This study investigated the post-disaster incidence and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for the three years following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.Methods: Three years after the disaster, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 1,089 adult residents living in temporary housing in the disaster area, i.e., the shelter group, and a random sample of 852 community residents from non-disaster areas of East Japan. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to diagnose DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders. Information on demographic variables and disaster experiences was also collected. Results: Response rates were 49% and 46% for the shelter group and the community residents, respectively. The incidence of mood/anxiety disorder in the shelter group was elevated only in the first year post-disaster compared to that of the general population. The rate of remission for mood and anxiety disorders was significantly lower in the shelter group than in the community residents. The proportion seeking medical treatment was higher in the shelter group.Conclusions: The onset of common mental disorders increased in the first year, but then levelled off in the following years among residents in temporary housing after the disaster. Remission from incident post-disaster mental disorders was slower in the shelter group than in the general population. Post-disaster mental health service could consider the greater incidence in the first year and prolonged remission of mental disorders among survivors with a long-term stay in temporary housing after a disaster.

scholarly journals Trends in Covid-19 hospital mortality in women and men

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Ayerbe ◽  
Carlos Risco-Risco ◽  
Diego Martinez-Urbistondo ◽  
Maria Elena Caro-Tinoco ◽  
Salma Ayis
Keyword(s):  
Regression Models ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
First Year ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression ◽  
Medical Outcomes ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Time Of Admission

Introduction: It remains unclear if the development of health services, clinical management, and scientific evidence, during the pandemic is associated with better medical outcomes, sustained in the long term, for Covid-19 patients of each gender. This study presents the trends in mortality associated with Covid-19 for women and men during the first year of the pandemic. Methods: This study was based in 17 Spanish hospitals. Sociodemographic, clinical, and mortality data from all patients with Covid-19, who had been discharged alive, or had died after being admitted, between March 2020 and February 2021, were used. The association between time of admission and mortality was examined with multivariate logistic regression models. Results: 3390 Covid-19 patients were included in the study, of which 1330 were women, the age was M(SD): 66.55(16.55) Death was reported for 451 patients. There was a significant decreasing trend in mortality by time of admission for the whole year with an OR: 0.86(0.77-0.96) p=0.005. No significant trend in mortality for women was observed OR: 1.00(0.85-1.19) p=0.959, while there was a significant decreasing trend for men OR: 0.78 (0.68-0.90) p=0.001 Discussion: The health policies put in place, the scientific evidence developed by researchers, and the experienced acquired by clinicians, are likely to explain this improvement in mortality. More epidemiological and clinical studies addressing trends of mortality in patients with different sociodemographic and clinical profile and the improvement of clinical outcomes are required. Future research may address the safety and efficacy of interventions specifically in female patients.

scholarly journals Onset and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for three years after the triple disaster in Northeast Japan: comparisons with the general population

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norito Kawakami ◽  
Maiko Fukasawa ◽  
Kiyomi Sakata ◽  
Ruriko Suzuki ◽  
Hiroaki Tomita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
First Year ◽  
Temporary Housing ◽  
Community Residents ◽  
Post Disaster

Abstract Background: People living in temporary housing for long periods after a disaster are at risk of (developing) poor mental health. This study investigated the post-disaster incidence and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for the three years following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.Methods: Three years after the disaster, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 1,089 adult residents living in temporary housing in the disaster area, i.e., the shelter group, and a random sample of 852 community residents of East Japan. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to diagnose DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders. Information on demographic variables and disaster experiences was also collected. Results: Response rates were 49% and 46%, for the shelter group and the community residents, respectively. The incidence of mood/anxiety disorder in the shelter group was elevated only in the first year post-disaster compared to that of the general population. The rate of remission for mood and anxiety disorders was significantly lower in the shelter group than in the community residents. The proportion seeking medical treatment was higher in the shelter group.Conclusions: The onset of common mental disorders increased in the first year, but then levelled off in the following years among residents in temporary housing after the disaster. Remission from incident post-disaster mental disorders was slower in the shelter group than in the general population. Post-disaster mental health service could consider the greater incidence in the first year and prolonged remission of mental disorders among survivors with a long-term stay in temporary housing after a disaster.

scholarly journals Common mental disorders among patients attending monk healers and primary health care centres in Thailand: a cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Supa Pengpid ◽  
Karl Peltzer
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorder ◽  
Somatization Disorder ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Health Centres

Abstract Background This study aimed to assess the rate of common mental disorders in patients consulting monk healers or health centres in Thailand. Methods Patients consecutively consulting monk healers or health centres were assessed with screening measures of three common mental disorders (major depressive, general anxiety and somatization disorder). Results The prevalence of any common mental disorder was significantly higher in patients attending monk healers (31.1%) than those attending primary care health centres (22.3%) (P < 0.001). Likewise, the prevalence of each common mental disorder was significantly higher in clients attending monk healers (major depressive disorder 21.0%, generalized anxiety disorder 8.1%, and somatization disorder 19.0%) than in patients attending health centres (major depressive disorder 15.8%, generalized anxiety disorder 3.5%, and somatization disorder 12.5%). In adjusted logistic regression analysis among patients of monk healers, female sex, being single, divorced, separated or widowed, and low social support were associated with any common mental disorder. Among patients of a health centre, lower education, not employed, high debt status and low social support were associated with any common mental disorder. Conclusion The study found a higher prevalence of common mental disorders in patients consulting monk healers than primary care centre attendees, calling for integrated management of common mental disorders.

scholarly journals VP190 A Review Of Best Practices In Five Mental Disorders In Youth

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 237-237
Author(s):  
Ionela Gheorghiu ◽  
Alain Lesage ◽  
Leila Ben Amor ◽  
Patricia Conrod ◽  
Marie-Claude Geoffroy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Effective Interventions

INTRODUCTION:In order to support service planning of the youth program of the East of Montreal Health and Social Services Board, and potentially of the other twenty-five programs across the Quebec province, our hospital-based Health Technology Assessment (HTA) unit was asked to bring evidence of the effective interventions for five most common mental disorders in children and young populations, namely anxio-depressive disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, oppositional and conduct disorders, substance abuse disorders, and suicide attempts.METHODS:A review of reviews was conducted for the five disorders in young populations aged 6 to 25 years. This was based exclusively on systematic reviews and meta-analysis of a minimum two randomized-controlled trials. The review was completed with examples of Quebec's good practices in youth mental health gathered from personal research experience of clinical researchers involved in the project. The project involved collaboration with three other hospital units and provincial HTA agencies.RESULTS:No review supporting screening and early detection for the five disorders was identified. Prevention, however, was better covered in the literature, and a clear distinction was made between universal, targeted and indicated interventions. In general, targeted and indicated prevention interventions were effective in the case of anxio-depressive (1) and substance use disorders, while universal prevention strategies seemed to reduce suicide attempts and suicide ideation (2). Effective treatments also exist for these mental disorders. In general, psychotherapies dominated for anxio-depressive and substance use disorders; parental skills dominated in oppositional disorders, whilst pharmacological treatment dominated in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (3). Evidence was limited for suicide attempts. The overview of Quebec's good practices allowed identification of interventions or practices already in use in the province.CONCLUSIONS:The review summarized effective interventions for five most common mental disorders in young populations. It also permitted to identify several research gaps, and therefore research recommendations were formulated for the province's health research agency.

Mental Disorders in Firefighters Following Large-Scale Disaster

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon L. Wagner ◽  
Nicole White ◽  
Christine Randall ◽  
Cheryl Regehr ◽  
Marc White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Future Work ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Present Systematic Review ◽  
Disaster Exposure ◽  
Cross National

ABSTRACT Firefighting service is known to involve high rates of exposure to potentially traumatic situations, and research on mental health in firefighting populations is of critical importance in understanding the impact of occupational exposure. To date, the literature concerning prevalence of trauma-related mental disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has not distinguished between symptomology associated routine duty-related exposure and exposure to large-scale disaster. The present systematic review synthesizes a heterogeneous cross-national literature on large-scale disaster exposure in firefighters and provides support for the hypothesis that the prevalence of PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders are elevated in firefighters compared with rates observed in the general population. In addition, we conducted narrative synthesis concerning several commonly assessed predictive factors for disorder and found that sociodemographic factors appear to bear a weak relationship to mental disorder, while incident-related factors, such as severity and duration of disaster exposure, bear a stronger and more consistent relationship to the development of PTSD and depression in cross-national samples. Future work should expand on these preliminary findings to better understand the impact of disaster exposure in firefighting personnel.

scholarly journals Discrimination and common mental disorders of undergraduate students of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 525-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Vitória Cordeiro de Souza ◽  
Isabel Lemkuhl ◽  
João Luiz Bastos
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Dose Response ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Response Relationship ◽  
Dose Response Relationship ◽  
Santa Catarina ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Study Results

INTRODUCTION: The pathogenic and consistent effect of discrimination on mental health has been largely documented in the literature. However, there are few studies measuring multiple types of discrimination, evaluating the existence of a dose-response relationship or investigating possible effect modifiers of such an association. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between experiences of discrimination attributed to multiple reasons and common mental disorders, including the adjustment for potential confounders, assessment of dose-response relations, and examination of effect modifiers in undergraduate students from southern Brazil. METHODS: In the first semester of 2012, 1,023 students from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina answered a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, undergraduate course, experiences of discrimination and common mental disorders. Associations were analyzed through logistic regression models, estimation of Odds Ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: The study results showed that students reporting discrimination at high frequency and intensity were 4.4 (95%CI 1.6 - 12.4) times more likely to present common mental disorders. However, the relationship between discrimination and common mental disorders was protective among Electrical Engineering students, when compared to Accounting Sciences students who did not report discrimination. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the dose-response relationship between experiences of discrimination and common mental disorders reinforces the hypothetical causal nature of this association. Nevertheless, the modification of effect caused by the undergraduate course should be considered in future studies for a better understanding and measurement of both phenomena.

The Burden of Mental Disorders

2019 ◽  
pp. 3-32
Author(s):  
William W. Eaton ◽  
O. Joseph Bienvenu ◽  
Gerald Nestadt ◽  
Heather E. Volk ◽  
James C. Anthony
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life ◽  
The World ◽  
Disease Study

This chapter describes seventeen important mental disorders and reviews studies of the prevalence of the disorders from around the world, presenting median and interquartile ranges for more than four hundred research studies. The range of prevalences is below 0.5% for eating disorders and schizophrenia, and above 5% for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, major depressive disorder, phobias, personality disorders, and dementia. The chapter discusses methods for judging the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for the disorders and compares estimates to other diseases considered in the Global Burden of Disease study. Mental and substance use disorders account for more than 160 million of the total DALYs in the world, or about 7% of the total. Major depressive disorder is the leading causes of DALYs among the mental and substance use disorders.

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