In a new study, researchers from University College London (UCL) have shed light on the mental health challenges faced by higher education students in England. The research, published in The Lancet Public Health, reveals a marginally increased risk of depression and anxiety among these students compared to their non-student peers. However, the disparity seems to vanish by age 25, prompting a call for deeper investigations into the causes and potential interventions for this concerning trend.
Bridging the Knowledge Gap
The study, commissioned and funded by England’s Department for Education, represents a crucial exploration into the mental health picture among higher education students in England. By analyzing data from two longitudinal studies, researchers aim to better understand the factors contributing to increased instances of depression and anxiety among this demographic.
The Study’s Key Findings
The research, led by Dr. Gemma Lewis from UCL Psychiatry, marks the first documented evidence of raised instances of depression and anxiety among higher education students in England compared to their non-student counterparts. Drawing on data from the Longitudinal Studies of Young People in England (LSYPE1 and LSYPE2), the study examined the mental health symptoms of participants aged 18-19 at various time points.
Disappearing Disparity by Age 25
A notable discovery emerged from the research the heightened risk observed among higher education students fades away by age 25. Lead author Dr. Gemma Lewis emphasizes the significance of the first few years in higher education, noting that addressing mental health during this critical period could yield long-term benefits for overall health, wellbeing, educational achievement, and success.
Methodology: A Closer Look
The researchers worked with data from two longitudinal studies, involving over 10,000 participants, to assess mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and social dysfunction. The findings revealed a small but distinct difference in symptoms between students and non-students at age 18-19, persisting even after adjustments for confounding factors such as socioeconomic status and parents’ education.
Risk of depression and anxiety: higher education students in England, University College London numbers
UCL’s announcement of the research, issued on 29 September 2023, sets out the detail. The first cohort, LSYPE1, followed 4,832 young people born in 1989 and 1990 who were aged 18 to 19 between 2007 and 2009. The second, LSYPE2, followed 6,128 participants born in 1998 and 1999 who reached the same age between 2016 and 2018, before the pandemic disrupted higher education. In both cohorts, just over half attended higher education, and the association between study and symptoms held after adjustment for socioeconomic status, parents’ education and alcohol use.
The study puts a number on the risk of depression and anxiety: higher education students in England, University College London estimates, would see the incidence of the two conditions among all 18 to 19 year olds fall by 6% if the mental health risks associated with higher education were removed. The authors describe that as a modelled scenario rather than an observed outcome. The full record of the paper is held in UCL’s open-access repository, and the work was commissioned and funded by England’s Department for Education. Notably, earlier studies had not found a difference of this kind, which the authors say may mean the association is recent and related to wider economic and social pressures.
The announcement is open about the limits of the work. The reasons for the association are unknown: Dr Tayla McCloud, the paper’s first author, points to academic and financial pressures as possible explanations without confirming either, and the 6% figure describes a hypothetical scenario. The authors call for more research into what has changed for students, and note that because earlier studies had not found this pattern, the added risk may be recent and bound up with wider economic and social pressures.
What the researchers said
The two lead researchers were careful about causes in the UCL announcement, and direct about the stakes.
Here we have found concerning evidence that students may have a higher risk of depression and anxiety. The first couple of years of higher education are a crucial time for development.
Dr Gemma Lewis, UCL Psychiatry
Based on our findings, we cannot say why students might be more at risk of depression and anxiety than their peers. We would have expected higher education students to have better mental health than their non-student peers.
Dr Tayla McCloud, UCL Psychiatry
Both researchers work in UCL’s psychiatry division, and both framed the study as a reason to concentrate support in the first years of higher education rather than as a verdict on university life itself.
Understanding the Mental Health Risks
While the study highlights the increased risk, the reasons behind this phenomenon remain unclear. Dr. Tayla McCloud, the first author of the study, suggests potential links to academic or financial pressures. The study’s analysis indicates that if mental health risks associated with higher education were eliminated, the incidence of depression and anxiety among 18-19-year-olds could potentially be reduced by 6%.
The Call for Further Research and Action
Dr. McCloud emphasizes the need for additional research to unravel the complexities of mental health risks facing students. The unexpected findings, considering students’ typically privileged backgrounds, underscore the urgency of addressing mental health concerns in higher education. As global health prioritizes understanding modifiable risk factors for depression and anxiety, supporting the mental health of young people becomes a vital imperative.
Conclusion: A Call to Prioritize Student Mental Health
As the study offers a nuanced understanding of mental health risks among higher education students, it calls for heightened awareness, intervention strategies, and ongoing research. Universities, policymakers, and healthcare professionals must collaborate to create supportive environments that prioritise the mental health and well-being of students, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for the next generation.
In essence, the study acts as a catalyst for change: a prompt for society to recognise and address the mental health challenges faced by higher education students, and to build a culture of empathy, understanding and proactive support.
