Background: Psychiatric problems among college students on USA campuses are common. Little is known about similar problems in developing countries, particularly the Arab region. The goal of this study was to assess the frequency of selected psychiatric problems among college students in two Arab countries: Qatar and Lebanon, and to compare them to the USA.
Methods: The Healthy Minds Study, an online confidential survey of common psychiatric symptoms designed for college campuses was used. We used the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to screen for major depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to screen for generalized anxiety and the SCOFF questionnaire to screen for eating disorders. Comparisons were made using ANOVA, Chi-Square tests and logistic regressions.
Results: A total of 1841 students participated in the study. The rates of depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 12), generalized anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 10) and eating disorders (SCOFF≥3) at the combined Arab universities were 34.6, 36.1 and 20.4% respectively. The corresponding rates in the USA were: 12.8, 15.9 and 6.8% (p < 0.001 for all measures). The impact of psychiatric problems on functioning in general and academic performance in particular was more severe in the Arab countries compared to the USA (p < 0.001). Independent predictors of psychiatric problems in general included location, female gender, financial difficulties and poor grades. Being religious had a protective association with mental health.
Conclusion: The rates of depression, anxiety and eating disorders were significantly higher among college students in Qatar and Lebanon compared to the USA. Additional research is needed to determine whether these results reflect methodological limitations or true differences in psychopathology across these populations. If replicated, the results indicate that the psychiatric problems on college campuses in the USA are a microcosm of a global problem that needs global solutions.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5968475 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1718-7 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
RADAR-AD: assessment of multiple remote monitoring technologies for early detection of Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimers Res Ther
January 2025
Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing SCAI, Sankt Augustin, Germany.
Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions worldwide, leading to cognitive and functional decline. Early detection and intervention are crucial for enhancing the quality of life of patients and their families. Remote Monitoring Technologies (RMTs) offer a promising solution for early detection by tracking changes in behavioral and cognitive functions, such as memory, language, and problem-solving skills.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClassifying Unstructured Text in Electronic Health Records for Mental Health Prediction Models: Large Language Model Evaluation Study.
JMIR Med Inform
January 2025
School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Background: Prediction models have demonstrated a range of applications across medicine, including using electronic health record (EHR) data to identify hospital readmission and mortality risk. Large language models (LLMs) can transform unstructured EHR text into structured features, which can then be integrated into statistical prediction models, ensuring that the results are both clinically meaningful and interpretable.
Objective: This study aims to compare the classification decisions made by clinical experts with those generated by a state-of-the-art LLM, using terms extracted from a large EHR data set of individuals with mental health disorders seen in emergency departments (EDs).
Combined irradiation by gamma-rays and carbon-12 nuclei caused hyperlocomotion and change in striatal metabolism of rats.
Life Sci Space Res (Amst)
February 2025
Institute for High Energy Physics named by A.A. Logunov of NRC "Kurchatov Institute", Protvino, Russia.
Exposure to ionizing radiation during manned deep space missions to Mars could lead to functional impairments of the central nervous system, which may compromise the success of the mission and affect the quality of life for returning astronauts. Along with radiation-induced changes in cognitive abilities and emotional status, the effects of increased motor activity were observed. The mechanisms behind these phenomena still remain unresolved.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmersive gamma music as a tool for enhancing glymphatic clearance in astronauts while improving their mental well-being.
Life Sci Space Res (Amst)
February 2025
Studio Ozark Henry, Conterdijk 23, Wulpen, Belgium. Electronic address:
Spaceflight occurs under extreme environmental conditions that pose significant risks to the physical and mental health and well-being of astronauts. Certain factors, such as prolonged isolation, monotony, disrupted circadian rhythms, heavy workload, and weightlessness in space, can trigger psychological distress and may contribute to a variety of mental health problems, including mood and anxiety disturbances. Recent findings regarding spaceflight-associated alterations in cerebrospinal fluid spaces, demonstrating enlargement of the brain's perivascular spaces from preflight to postflight, at least suggest reduced glymphatic clearance in microgravity, and have raised concerns about long-term cognitive health in astronauts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFamily functioning in adolescents and young adults with differences of sex development.
J Pediatr Psychol
January 2025
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States.
Objective: Family functioning influences various psychosocial outcomes for individuals with pediatric chronic health conditions (e.g., Leeman, J.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!