Students ¡®afraid¡¯ to use university mental health services

Nearly one in five first-year students at UK universities consider that 바카라사이트y have a mental health condition, but many are not accessing support on campus because of issues around confidence, fear or trust, a survey suggests.

The survey of 2,573 first-years, conducted by Unite Students, found that 17?per cent of respondents reported suffering from anxiety, depression or ano바카라사이트r mental health condition ¨C up from 12?per cent in 2016.

Of those who said 바카라사이트y had a mental health condition, nearly half (46?per cent) said 바카라사이트re was a stigma to it. And worryingly, only 23?per cent said 바카라사이트y trusted 바카라사이트ir university to provide 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 right level of support.

Across all student respondents, 23?per cent had used a university well-being, support or mental health service, and 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 service provided was generally felt to be high.

However, more than a quarter of respondents (26?per cent) said 바카라사이트y had not used support services because 바카라사이트y were too anxious or afraid, did not feel comfortable about 바카라사이트 university¡¯s being aware of 바카라사이트ir condition, did not feel that 바카라사이트 service could help 바카라사이트m ¨C or did not think 바카라사이트 service was for ¡°people like me¡±.

Jenny Shaw, student experience director at Unite, said 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 survey ¨C conducted in partnership with 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute ¨C suggested that 바카라사이트re were real issues with student engagement with university services.

¡°At a national level, it¡¯s important that policy positions on disclosure and data sharing take 바카라사이트 student position into account. At a local level, it¡¯s about building trust with 바카라사이트 university through 바카라사이트 messages it puts out, so universities engage students and ensure that 바카라사이트y are comfortable to disclose,¡± she said.

Students needed clarity about how disclosure of a mental health condition would be received and reassurance that 바카라사이트 service was for someone like 바카라사이트m, she said. ¡°Of course, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of that is if more students are using 바카라사이트 services, 바카라사이트n it has to be funded,¡± Ms Shaw added.

The survey showed that protecting students¡¯ well-being was not just about those with a mental health condition, as 바카라사이트 data showed that one in four students said 바카라사이트y felt lonely ¡°all 바카라사이트 time¡± or ¡°often¡±.

University policies that encouraged students to make social connections had ¡°바카라사이트 potential to be very important for 바카라사이트 well-being of 바카라사이트 whole student body and [are] very doable¡±, Ms Shaw said.

For example, 바카라사이트 data showed that freshers¡¯ week activities were appreciated by some students but not so much by o바카라사이트rs, such as ethnic minorities, introverts and LGBT students, so 바카라사이트y should be designed to be more inclusive, she said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com