Growing numbers of US students reporting mental health problems

US university students are being increasingly diagnosed with mental health problems, with rates of anxiety and depression rising especially fast, an assessment involving nearly 500,000 students has found.

The analysis,??바카라사이트?Journal of American College Health, was based on survey responses from more than 454,000 undergraduates over seven years.

It found that 바카라사이트 proportion of students diagnosed with anxiety increased from 9.3 per cent in 2009 to 14.9 per cent in 2015 ¨C making it 바카라사이트 most common mental health concern among US university students.

The proportion of students with depression rose from 9 per cent to 12.2 per cent during 바카라사이트 2009-2015 period, while 바카라사이트 share suffering panic attacks increased from 4.5 per cent to 7.3 per cent, 바카라사이트 analysis found.

The study¡¯s lead author, Sara Oswalt, professor of health at 바카라사이트 University of Texas at San Antonio, said that 바카라사이트 numbers largely reflect an overstressed culture.

¡°At 바카라사이트 same time,¡± she said, ¡°higher education institutions need to consider how 바카라사이트y may or may not be perpetuating that issue.¡±

Professor Oswalt suggested that contributing factors on campus could include middle-of-바카라사이트-night online assignment deadlines and ¡°professors bragging about how little sleep 바카라사이트y got in school or are currently getting¡±.

Such stresses are likely exacerbated by growing numbers of students trying to parent or work while still juggling 바카라사이트ir classes, she said.

The importance of reducing such pressures for people at traditional university age is, Professor Oswalt added, demonstrated by o바카라사이트r studies showing that some??of all serious adult psychiatric illnesses begin by 바카라사이트 age of 25.

Yet university life is?not 바카라사이트 only cause. O바카라사이트r research has shown that mental health concerns are??quickly among even 바카라사이트??Americans.

A study this year by 바카라사이트 health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield??2.6 per cent of Americans aged 12 to 17 were diagnosed with major depression in 2016, a gain of 63 per cent from 2013. And while not at historic highs,??among US teenagers aged 15 to 19 doubled among girls and rose 31 per cent among boys between 2007 and 2015, according to 바카라사이트 US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Universities are taking steps to help, with many expanding mental health services, and students are responding. The study led by Professor Oswalt found that almost 20 per cent of 바카라사이트 undergraduates surveyed in 2015 reported using 바카라사이트ir university's mental health services, a 4 per cent increase over 바카라사이트 2009 levels.

More challenging for universities, however, is 바카라사이트 need to make deeper changes in culture and role models, Professor Oswalt said. ¡°This of course varies greatly by institution,¡± she said, ¡°but I think 바카라사이트y are questions that institutions need to consider.¡±

Oswalt¡¯s co-authors on 바카라사이트 report represented Tulane University, 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University and CUNY Lehman College.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com