OBJECTIVE: To compare population-level data on self-harm, neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions between university students and non-students with similar characteristics before and during enrolment.
METHODS: This cohort study linked electronic records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency for 2012-2018 to primary and secondary healthcare records. Students were undergraduates aged 18 to 24 years at university entry. Non-students were pseudo-randomly selected based on an equivalent age distribution. Logistic regressions were used to calculate odds ratios. Poisson regressions were used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRR).
RESULTS: The study included 96 760 students and 151 795 non-students. Being male, self-harm and mental health conditions recorded before university entry, and higher deprivation levels, resulted in lower odds of becoming a student and higher odds of drop-out from university. IRRs for self-harm, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), drug use and schizophrenia were lower for students. IRRs for self-harm, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, ASD, alcohol use and schizophrenia increased more in students than in non-students over time. Older students experienced greater risk of self-harm and mental health conditions, whereas younger students were more at risk of alcohol use than non-student counterparts.
CONCLUSIONS: Mental health conditions in students are common and diverse. While at university, students require person-centred stepped care, integrated with local third-sector and healthcare services to address specific conditions.
目的:比较人口水平的自我伤害数据,大学生与非大学生之间的神经发育和心理健康状况在入学前和入学期间具有相似特征。
方法:这项队列研究将2012-2018年高等教育统计局的电子记录与初级和中级医疗记录联系起来。学生是大学入学时年龄在18至24岁之间的本科生。根据等效的年龄分布伪随机选择非学生。逻辑回归用于计算比值比。使用泊松回归计算发病率比率(IRR)。
结果:该研究包括96760名学生和151795名非学生。作为男性,大学入学前记录的自我伤害和心理健康状况,更高的剥夺水平,导致成为学生的几率较低,而从大学辍学的几率较高。自我伤害的IRR,抑郁症,焦虑,自闭症谱系障碍(ASD),学生的药物使用和精神分裂症较低。自我伤害的IRR,抑郁症,注意缺陷多动障碍,ASD,随着时间的推移,学生的酒精使用和精神分裂症的增加多于非学生。年龄较大的学生经历了更大的自我伤害和心理健康状况的风险,而年龄较小的学生比非学生更容易饮酒.
结论:学生的心理健康状况是普遍和多样的。在大学期间,学生需要以人为本的阶梯式护理,与当地第三部门和医疗保健服务整合,以解决具体情况。