Abstract

IntroductionMental distress is a mental health problem which includes anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms. Mental health problems affect society as a whole and no group is immune to mental disorders; however, students have significantly high level of mental distress than their community peers.ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to assess magnitude of mental distress and its predictors among undergraduate health science students of Hawassa University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, SNNPR, Ethiopia.MethodsInstitution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 311 students. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected using pre-tested and structured self-administered questionnaire. Mental distress among students was assessed using SRQ-20, which is validated in Ethiopia. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model was fitted to identify predictors of mental distress among students. An adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of significance with P-value less than 0.05.ResultA total of 309 study participants were interviewed with a response rate of 99.34%. Among the total respondents 105 (34%) of them were found to have mental distress. In multiple logistic regression analysis, poor social support (AOR = 5.28; 95% CI (2.176–12.84) and current substances use (AOR = 12.83, 95% CI (7.13–23.13), were significant predictors of mental distress among respondents.Conclusion and recommendationsThe overall magnitude of mental distress among students was found to be high. Therefore, it is recommended that mental distress needs due attention and remedial action from policy-makers, college officials, non-governmental organizations, parents, students and other concerned bodies.

Highlights

  • Mental distress is a mental health problem which includes anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms

  • It is recommended that mental distress needs due attention and remedial action from policy-makers, college officials, non-governmental organizations, parents, students and other concerned bodies

  • Studies conducted among undergraduate students in Canada showed that 30% of students had mental distress which was significantly higher than adults in the general population of Canada [4]

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Summary

Introduction

Mental distress is a mental health problem which includes anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms. Mental health problems affect society as a whole and no group is immune to mental disorders; students have significantly high level of mental distress than their community peers. In Africa mental illness mental distress is an important public health challenge that is under-recognized as a public problem [3]. Studies conducted among undergraduate students in Canada showed that 30% of students had mental distress which was significantly higher than adults in the general population of Canada [4]. A study conducted in South Africa, Malaysia, Kenya and Ethiopia revealed the prevalence of common mental disorders among college students is 27% [3], 41.9% [7], 10.8% [8] and 21.6% [9], respectively

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