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Public Health Approaches to Promoting University Students’ Mental Health: A Global Perspective

  • Global Mental Health (BN Gaynes, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Psychiatry Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Provide a critical overview of recent global advances in student mental health from a public health perspective, highlighting key challenges and gaps in the literature.

Recent Findings

Mental disorders and suicidality are common among university students globally. However, there is a significant treatment gap even though evidence-based treatments are available. To overcome barriers to treatment, public health interventions should be conceptualized within a developmental paradigm that takes cognizance of the developmental tasks of young adulthood.

Summary

Traditional one-on-one treatment approaches will not be a cost-effective or sustainable way to close the treatment gap among students. A range of evidence-based interventions is available to promote students’ mental health; however, novel approaches are needed to scale up services and adapt intervention delivery to suit student specific contexts. Digital interventions and peer-to-peer interventions could be a cost-effective way to scale-up and expand the range of services.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Funding

The work reported herein was made possible through funding by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) through its Division of Research Capacity Development under the MCSP (awarded to Jason Bantjes and Xanthe Hunt). This research was also funded by the SAMRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders. The content hereof is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the SAMRC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

    Jason Bantjes

  2. Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Jason Bantjes & Xanthe Hunt

  3. SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Dan J. Stein

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Dan J. Stein

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  1. Jason Bantjes
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Correspondence to Dan J. Stein.

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Bantjes, J., Hunt, X. & Stein, D.J. Public Health Approaches to Promoting University Students’ Mental Health: A Global Perspective. Curr Psychiatry Rep 24, 809–818 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-022-01387-4

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