Factors associated with self-rated health status among university students from 26 low,middle and high income countries

The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported health status and associated factors in low, middle and high income countries. Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected in a cross-sectional survey from 19 811 undergraduate university students (mean age=20.8, SD=2.8) from 27 universities in 26 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that the overall self-rated health status score was 3.0 (range 1–5). Generally, university students from study countries of the Caribbean, South America and North Africa, Near East and Central Asia had greater self-rated health status scores than students from study countries in Asia. In multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis, older age, coming from an upper middle income or high income country, higher personal control, better mental health (not having sleep problems, and having no or fewer PTSD symptoms), and having normal weight predicted better self-rated health status. Paradoxically, a poor healthy dietary score and low physical activity were also associated with better self-rated health status. In comparing self-rated health status across a large sample of students across many countries, associations were found between sociodemographic, psycho-social and health related variables and self-rated health status.     

Mental health correlates of HIV risk behaviour and STIs/HIV infection among university students from 22 low,middle and high income countries

The aim of this study was to determine mental health correlates of HIV risk behaviour and self-reported STIs/HIV infection among university students in 22 low, middle and high income countries. Data on mental health and HIV risk were collected from 16 567 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.9, SD = 2.9) from 23 universities in 22 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that overall 16.8% of the students had two or more sexual partners in the past 12 months, and among the sexually active, 73.7% had inconsistently used a condom in the past three months with their primary sexual partner, 3.2% had ever been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and 0.6% had been diagnosed with HIV. In multivariate logistic regression poorer mental health and child abuse (physical and sexual) were associated with HIV risk behaviour, and child abuse (physical and sexual) was associated with STI and HIV positive diagnoses.     

Happiness and health behaviours among university students from 24 low,middle and high income countries

The aim of this study was to examine health behaviours and happiness and associated factors in low, middle and high income countries. In a cross-sectional survey, 17 508 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.9, SD = 2. 8) from 25 universities in 24 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas self-completed anonymous questionnaires. Results indicate that the overall happiness mean score among university students across 24 countries was 13.7 (range 4–20). Generally, the study found that university students from countries of the Caribbean, South America and sub-Saharan Africa had greater happiness scores than students from countries in North Africa and Asia. In multivariate linear regression analysis, better subjective socio-economic status, coming from an higher income country, higher social support, higher intrinsic religiosity, higher personal mastery, positive health behaviours (regular breakfast, adequate physical activity, habitual seatbelt use, regular dental check-ups, not having had an injury, not drinking and driving) and negative health behaviours (not having three or more servings of vegetables and eating red meat daily) were correlated with happiness. Improvement to the happiness of university students should consider regional differences in socio-economic environment.     

Psychosocial and health-related characteristics of religious well-being

This investigation examined the relationship between religions well-being and eight psychosocial and health-related characteristics. This study assessed the hypothesis that religious well-being is related to overall health. Participants were 462 college students at two separate colleges in the Pacific Northwest. Analysis showed those subjects scoring higher on the measure of religious well-being scored lower on indices like loneliness and hopelessness and higher on self-esteem. Alcohol and drug use also differed significantly between the high and the low, religious well-being groups.     

Gratitude and mental health: differences between religious and general gratitude in a Muslim context

The present study examined the relation of religious gratitude and dispositional gratitude with mental health, subjective well-being and personality among a sample of 256 Iranian students. The two types of gratitude were associated with higher levels of mental health and well-being. Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were the strongest personality correlates of both types of gratitude. Dispositional gratitude showed stronger relationship with mental health, subjective well-being and personality factors. Dispositional gratitude also out-predicted the religious gratitude in relation with mental health and subjective well-being, showing that religious gratitude compared to dispositional gratitude has less effect on mental health and well-being.     

Psychological distress in university students: A comparison with general population data

Objective: While the mental health of university students is recognised internationally as an important public health issue, more epidemiological data are needed that allows benchmarking with general population data. Methods: All enrolled students from two large Australian universities were invited to complete a web‐based survey. Anxiety‐mood disorders were assessed using the Kessler 10. A total of 6,479 students participated in the study with sociodemographics generally consistent with the university population. Results: The estimated prevalence for mental health problems was 19.2% with 67.4% reporting subsyndromal symptoms. These rates were significantly higher than the general population. Psychological distress was associated with disability and lower academic achievement. Predictors of distress included: full‐time status, financial stress, being aged between and 18 and 34 years, being female, and in a subsequent undergraduate year of their degree. Conclusions: The extremely high prevalence of mental health problems in university students provides evidence for this being an at‐risk population. Implications: The results highlight the need for universal early interventions to prevent the development of severe mental illness in university students.     

Sleep duration and health correlates among university students in 26 countries

The aim of this study was to investigate sleep duration and its health correlates in university students from 26 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Using anonymous questionnaires and anthropometric measurements, data were collected from 19417 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.8, SD = 2.8) from 27 universities from 26 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that the average number of self-reported hours of sleep was 7.07 (CI = 7.04–7.09), with the prevalence of reporting ≤6, 7–8, and ≥9?h sleep duration of 39.2, 46.9, and 13.9%, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression found that sociodemographic variables, health risk behaviour and health status variables were found to be associated with short and long sleep duration.     

Childhood physical and sexual abuse,and adult health risk behaviours among university students from 24 countries in Africa,the Americas and Asia

The goal of this study was to retrospectively estimate the prevalence of childhood physical abuse (CPA) and childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in relation to experience of adult violence, poor mental health, addictive behaviour and sexual risk behaviour among university students from 24 countries in Africa, the Americas and Asia. In a cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 18 404 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.7, SD = 2.9, age range of 16–30 years) from 24 countries. Overall, 5.0%, 2.6% and 1.2% of the students reported childhood physical abuse, childhood sexual abuse and childhood physical and sexual abuse, respectively. In the logistic regression models, adjusting for age, sex, study year, family wealth, and country, having experienced CPA and CSA was associated with increased odds of having any adult violence (physical and sexual partner violence victimisation. Having been in a physical fight, and weapon carrying), any poor mental health (post-traumatic stress disorder, depression symptoms and sleeping problems), addictive behaviour (tobacco use, binge drinking, frequent gambling and obesity) and sexual risk-taking was higher with a self-reported history of CPA and CSA.     

Relation of self-talk frequency to loneliness,need to belong,and health in German adults

This study examined whether individuals with a high need to belong and feelings of loneliness tend to compensate for a lack of social contact by self-talk and whether self-talk prevents negative consequences on their physical and mental health. The sample consisted of 559 adults drawn from the German Sozioland Panel Project. The results of SEM analyses revealed evidence for significant relations of the need to belong and loneliness with the frequency of self-talk. Moreover, the need to belong and loneliness were significantly related to mental and physical health, but loneliness was shown to be more important for the prediction of both health outcomes. Results of moderator analyses indicate that self-talk might be a risk factor for an increased negative correlation between loneliness and mental health. Self-talk, which is supposed to be related to self-awareness, might reinforce the subjective feeling of loneliness and hence have a negative impact on psychological well-being.     

Resource loss,religiousness, health,and posttraumatic growth following Hurricane Katrina

This study examined associations among resource loss, religiousness (including general religiousness, religious comfort, and religious strain), posttraumatic growth (PTG), and physical and mental health among a sample of Mississippi university students soon after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast in 2005. Resource loss was negatively associated with health, but positively associated with PTG. Religious comfort was associated with positive outcomes, and religious strain was associated with negative outcomes. Religious comfort buffered the negative effects of resource loss on emotional health. Ancillary analyses indicated that associations between resource loss and health were mediated by religious strain. Implications of this research are described for mental health practitioners engaged in disaster recovery work.     

Loneliness and Suicidal Risk in Young Adults: Does Believing in a Changeable Future Help Minimize Suicidal Risk Among the Lonely?

This study examined loneliness and future orientation as predictors of suicidal risk, namely, depressive symptoms and suicide ideation, in a sample of 228 college students (54 males and 174 females). Results of regression analyses indicated that loneliness was a significant predictor of both indices of suicidal risk. The inclusion of future orientation was found to significantly augment the prediction model of both depressive symptoms and suicide ideation, even after accounting for loneliness. Noteworthy, beyond loneliness and future orientation, the Loneliness × Future Orientation interaction term was found to further augment both prediction models of suicidal risk. Consistent with the notion that future orientation is an important buffer of suicidal risk, among lonely students, those with high future orientation, compared to low future orientation, were found to report significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms and suicide ideation. Some implications of the present findings for studying both risk and protective factors associated with suicidal risk in young adults are discussed.     

高校教师工作成瘾与心理健康的关系:倦怠与孤独的作用

该研究通过对7所高校385名教师所做的层级回归分析表明:工作成瘾对高校教师心理健康有显著的负向影响,工作倦怠和孤独感在此影响过程中起着中介和调节作用。工作成瘾会诱发高校教师产生工作倦怠,继而损害其心理健康状况;而相对于低孤独感的个体,高孤独感的高校教师更倾向于从工作成瘾走向工作倦怠。     

The Winding Paths of the Lonesome Cowboy: Evidence for Mutual Influences Between Personality,Subjective Health,and Loneliness

Prior research demonstrated influences of personality traits and their development on later status of subjective health and loneliness. In the present study, we intended to extend these findings by examining mutual influences between health‐related characteristics and personality traits and their development over time. German adults were assessed at two time points across 15 years (N_T1 = 654, N_T2 = 271; M_age at Time 1 = 24.39, SD = 3.69). Data were analyzed with multivariate structural equation models and a multivariate latent change model. Neuroticism was found to predict later levels and the development of subjective health and loneliness. While subjective health likewise predicted later levels of Neuroticism, loneliness was found to be predictive of later levels as well as the development of Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness. Correlated changes indicated that developing a socially more desirable personality is associated with slower declines in subjective health and slower increases in loneliness. The findings indicate that characteristics related to an individual's health are reciprocally associated with personality traits. Thus, the study adds to the understanding of the development of personality and health‐related characteristics.     

Suicidal Ideation and Associated Factors Among School-Going Adolescents in Harare,Zimbabwe

This study determined the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation among school-going adolescents in Harare, Zimbabwe. Data on 1970 respondents were obtained from a cross sectional study of the Global School-based health survey. Respondents were selected using a two-stage probability sampling technique. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 21.6%. Males were less likely to have suicidal ideation than females (OR=0.70; 95% CI 0.54,0.91). Worrying (OR=1.81; 95% CI 1.29,2.56), feeling of loneliness (OR=2.04; 95% CI 1.43,2.90), cigarette smoking (OR=1.87; 95% CI 1.11, 3.16), and drinking alcohol (OR=1.74; 95% CI 1.17, 2.60) were associated with suicidal ideation. Public health programs designed to control cigarette smoking and alcohol use may also impact positively on suicidal ideation.     

Association between tobacco use,depression, and anxiety: A cross-national study among university students from 30 low- and middle-income countries

This study aimed to investigate the association between tobacco use and depression and anxiety in a cross-national study among university students from 30 predominantly low- and middle-income countries. Self-report survey data were collected from 23 073 university students (58.0% female), with a mean age of 20.8 years (SD = 2.5). Following logistic regression analyses, tobacco using university students were more likely to have depressive symptoms and anxiety (posttraumatic stress symptoms = PTSS) than non-tobacco using students. Gender stratified analysis found associations between tobacco use and depressive symptoms were stronger among women than men. The associations between tobacco use and anxiety (PTSD) symptoms were stronger among men than women. In this large cross-national study, current tobacco use was significantly associated with depression and anxiety (PTSD) symptoms. Tobacco use prevention efforts can help alleviating mental health problems among university students.     

Loneliness and Suicidal Ideation in Drug‐Using College Students

The college years are marked by social changes and behavioral experimentation which may increase risk of suicidal ideation. We propose a novel pathway for the development of suicidal thoughts between two established suicide risk factors, loneliness and drug use, which have not been examined in a nonclinical sample. Data were collected from 207 undergraduate drug‐using students at a large southeastern university. As hypothesized, suicidal ideation was positively correlated with both loneliness (r = .40) and drug use (r = .29). After controlling for several demographic variables, social desirability, and anxiety sensitivity, drug use was tested as a potential mediator in the loneliness–suicidal ideation link using a single‐mediator model. Results indicated a significant indirect (mediated) effect of loneliness on suicidal ideation via drug use (ab = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02–0.18), suggesting that loneliness may contribute to suicidal ideation through increased drug use among college students. Identification of and intervention with students reporting loneliness and drug use may be a promising suicide prevention strategy on college campuses.     

Loneliness,self‐esteem,and life satisfaction as predictors of Internet addiction: A cross‐sectional study among Turkish university students

This study investigated the relationship among loneliness, self‐esteem, life satisfaction, and Internet addiction. Participants were 384 university students (114 males, 270 females) from 18 to 24 years old from the faculty of education in Turkey. The Internet Addiction, UCLA Loneliness, Self‐esteem, and Life Satisfaction scales were distributed to about 1000 university students, and 38.4% completed the survey (see Appendix A and B). It was found that loneliness, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction explained 38% of the total variance in Internet addiction. Loneliness was the most important variable associated with Internet addiction and its subscales. Loneliness and self‐esteem together explained time‐management problems and interpersonal and health problems while loneliness, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction together explained only the interpersonal and health problems subscales.     

Post-traumatic stress disorder and health risk behaviour among persons 15 years and older in South Africa

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and health risk behaviours among persons 15 years and older in South Africa. We analysed data from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1, 2012) (N = 15 201; mean age = 36.9 years, SD = 16.5; 2.1% with PSTD, 4.0% with partial PTSD). The survey included questions from validated measures of the following health risk behaviours: problem drinking, current tobacco use, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, vegetable consumption, and fast food and frequent soft drinks consumption. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, only self-reporting with PTSD was associated with problem drinking. The data did not yield significant association between PTSD status and any of the other health risk behaviours (tobacco use, low physical activity, and fast food consumption).     

Social orientations and adolescent health behaviours in Hungary

Adolescent health behaviours are influenced by a variety of social factors, including social orientations, such as social comparison or competitiveness. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the role that these social orientations might play in health behaviours (both health‐impairing and health‐promoting). Data were collected from high school students (N = 548; ages 14–20 years; 39.9% males) in two counties of the Southern Plain Region of Hungary. The self‐administered questionnaires contained items on sociodemographics, such as age, sex, parental schooling, and socioeconomic status (SES) self‐assessment; school achievement, health behaviours, competitiveness and social comparison. Multiple regression analyses suggest that those who scored higher on competitiveness engaged in more substance use, a pattern that was not present for health‐promoting behaviours. Social comparison, however, was associated with lower levels of substance use. In addition, in relation to health‐impairing behaviours, both competitiveness and social comparison interacted with sex; both social orientation variables proved to be more important for boys. Social comparison also contributed to health‐promoting behaviours among boys. Findings support the idea that the role of social orientations, such as competitiveness and social comparison, can be quite different depending on sex and the nature of the health behaviour. While competitiveness may act as a risk factor for substance use among boys, social comparison may act as a protection. It appears that social orientations play less of a role in girls' health‐related behaviours. More focus is needed on gender differences in influences on adolescents' health‐related behaviours.     

Multiple health risk behaviours and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among university students from 22 countries

The goal of the study was to investigate multiple health risk behaviours in relation to PTSD symptoms in a sample of university students from 22 countries. Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected from 16804 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.8, SD?=?2.8) from 23 universities in 22 countries in Africa, Asia, Caribbean and South America. Results indicate that overall, 20.9% of the university students screened positive for PTSD, and the overall mean of health risk behaviours (range from 1–10) was 2.7 for university students from all countries. Logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and social support found that each of the ten individual health risk behaviours was significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. In addition, logistic regression with multiple health risk behaviours found a steady increase from 1 (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.37, CI 1.05–1.77) to 5 or more (OR: 3.57, CI 2.75–4.64) health risk behaviours in association with PTSD symptoms, adjusted for age, gender, economic family background and social support.