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Depressive symptoms in higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of containment measures.
Buffel, Veerle; Van de Velde, Sarah; Akvardar, Yildiz; Bask, Miia; Brault, Marie-Christine; Busse, Heide; Chatzittofis, Andreas; Ladner, Joel; Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh; Stathopoulou, Theoni; Tavolacci, Marie-Pierre; van der Heijde, Claudia; Pischke, Claudia R; Matos Fialho, Paula Mayara; Wouters, Edwin.
  • Buffel V; Centre for Population, Family and Health, Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
  • Van de Velde S; Centre for Population, Family and Health, Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
  • Akvardar Y; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Bask M; Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
  • Brault MC; Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), Chicoutimi, QC, Canada.
  • Busse H; Department of Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
  • Chatzittofis A; Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
  • Ladner J; Epidemiology and Health Promotion Department, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France.
  • Rabiee-Khan F; Faculty of Health, Education & Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK.
  • Stathopoulou T; National Centre for Social Research, Institute of Social Research, Athens, Greece.
  • Tavolacci MP; CIC 1404 and INSERM 1073, Rouen University Hospital and Rouen Normandy University, Rouen, France.
  • van der Heijde C; Student Health Service, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Pischke CR; Institute of Medical Sociology, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany.
  • Matos Fialho PM; Institute of Medical Sociology, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany.
  • Wouters E; Centre for Population, Family and Health, Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Eur J Public Health ; 32(3): 481-487, 2022 06 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1740862
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Students are a vulnerable group for the indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly their mental health. This paper examined the cross-national variation in students' depressive symptoms and whether this can be related to the various protective measures implemented in response to the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

METHODS:

Student data stem from the COVID-19 International Student Well-being Study, covering 26 countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Country-level data on government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic were retrieved from the Oxford COVID-19 Tracker. Multilevel analyses were performed to estimate the impact of the containment and economic support measures on students' depressive symptoms (n = 78 312).

RESULTS:

School and workplace closures, and stay-at-home restrictions were positively related to students' depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, while none of the economic support measures significantly related to depressive symptoms. Countries' scores on the index of these containment measures explained 1.5% of the cross-national variation in students' depressive symptoms (5.3%). This containment index's effect was stable, even when controlling for the economic support index, students' characteristics, and countries' epidemiological context and economic conditions.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings raise concerns about the potential adverse effects of existing containment measures (especially the closure of schools and workplaces and stay-at-home restrictions) on students' mental health.
Subject(s)

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study / Qualitative research / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Eur J Public Health Journal subject: Epidemiology / Public Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Eurpub

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study / Qualitative research / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Eur J Public Health Journal subject: Epidemiology / Public Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Eurpub