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

• Published in: BMJ open Vol. 11; no. 8; p. e053231
• Main Authors: Arsandaux, Julie, Montagni, Ilaria, Macalli, Mélissa, Texier, Nathalie, Pouriel, Mathilde, Germain, Raphaël, Mebarki, Adel, Kinouani, Shérazade, Tournier, Marie, Schuck, Stéphane, Tzourio, Christophe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group LTD 19-08-2021; BMJ Publishing Group
• Series: Original research
• Subjects: Age; Anxiety; Anxiety disorders; College students; Colleges & universities; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Education; Life Sciences; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Pandemics; Questionnaires; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Shelter in place; Social networks; Sociodemographics; Stress; Suicides & suicide attempts; Young adults; France
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053231

ObjectivesTo estimate the effect of student status on mental health condition during COVID-19 general lockdown in France.DesignCross-sectional analysis comparing students and non-students recruited in the same study.SettingParticipants of the web-based CONFINS study implemented during the general lockdown in France in spring 2020.Participants2260 participants (78% women) including 1335 students (59%).Primary and secondary outcome measuresThrough 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.ResultsStudent 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.ConclusionsCollege 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.