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Mental health condition of college students compared to non-students during COVID-19 lockdown: the CONFINS study

Julie Arsandaux,I. Montagni,Mélissa Macalli,N. Texier,M. Pouriel,R. Germain,A. Mebarki,Shérazade Kinouani,M. Tournier,Stéphane Schuck,C. Tzourio

Published 2021 in BMJ Open

ABSTRACT

Objectives To estimate the effect of student status on mental health condition during COVID-19 general lockdown in France. Design Cross-sectional analysis comparing students and non-students recruited in the same study. Setting Participants of the web-based CONFINS study implemented during the general lockdown in France in spring 2020. Participants 2260 participants (78% women) including 1335 students (59%). Primary and secondary outcome measures Through an online questionnaire, participants declared if they have experienced suicidal thoughts, coded their perceived stress on a 10-points scale and completed validated mental health scales (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depressive symptoms, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 for anxiety symptoms) during the last 7 days. The effect of college student status on each mental health condition was estimated using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Stratified models for students and non-students were performed to identify population-specific factors. Results Student status was associated with a higher frequency of depressive symptoms (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.58; 95% CI 1.17 to 2.14), anxiety symptoms (aOR=1.51; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.07), perceived stress (n=1919, aOR=1.70, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.29) and suicidal thoughts (n=1919, aOR=1.57, 95% CI 0.97 to 2.53). Lockdown conditions that could be potentially aggravating on mental health like isolation had a higher impact on students than on non-students. Conclusions College students were at higher risk of mental health disturbances during lockdown than non-students, even after taking into account several potential confounding factors. A close follow-up and monitoring of students’ mental health status is warranted during lockdown periods in this vulnerable population.

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