Publication date: Nov 27, 2024
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted mental health and substance use patterns, particularly among young adults. This study aimed to assess changes in anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and substance use among university students in Mexico before, during, and after the pandemic. Using a repeated cross-sectional design, this study was conducted with university students in Mexico across three periods: pre-pandemic (2017 and 2019); during the pandemic (2021); and post-pandemic (2023). A total of 2167 students were interviewed during one of the three periods. Standardized scales measured anxiety, depression, self-esteem, Erotic Response and Sexual Orientation Scale (EROS), and substance use. showed a marked and significant increase in the proportion of students with anxiety (40. 0%, 71. 7%, and 79. 6%) and depression (14. 4%, 61. 9%, and 62. 6%) during the pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods, respectively. Self-esteem significantly decreased during and after the pandemic, compared to pre-pandemic, particularly among females. The proportion of students categorized as moderate/high-risk for their substance use changed over time, showing a reduction in alcohol use (from 29. 9% to 20. 2%) and tobacco use (from 26. 0% to 18. 2%) but an increase in sedative use (from 7. 1% to 11. 7%), before vs after the pandemic, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that anxiety, low self-esteem, and increased sedative use were consistently linked to a heightened risk of depression during and after the pandemic. Notably, anxiety and depression levels remained in a proportion significantly elevated even in the post-pandemic period. These findings underscore the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions, early detection strategies, and customized educational programs to effectively support students’ mental well-being in the ongoing post-pandemic era.
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Concepts | Keywords |
---|---|
Anxiety | anxiety |
Covid | COVID-19 |
Females | depression |
Mexico | substance use |
university students |
Semantics
Type | Source | Name |
---|---|---|
disease | MESH | Substance Use |
disease | MESH | COVID-19 Pandemic |
disease | MESH | anxiety |
disease | MESH | depression |
drug | DRUGBANK | Ethanol |
drug | DRUGBANK | Coenzyme M |
disease | MESH | mental disorders |
disease | MESH | uncertainty |
drug | DRUGBANK | Amphetamine |
disease | MESH | Anxiety Disorder |
disease | MESH | emergency |
disease | MESH | privacy |
drug | DRUGBANK | Aspartame |
drug | DRUGBANK | Pentaerythritol tetranitrate |
drug | DRUGBANK | Methyl isocyanate |
disease | MESH | complications |
disease | IDO | history |