Prevalence of 12-month mental and substance use disorders in sexual minority college students in Mexico

PURPOSE

Mental health disparities have been documented among sexual minority college students, but there is a dearth of evidence from developing countries. The aim is to estimate the prevalence of 12-month mental and substance use disorders across a range of sexual identities among first-year college students in Mexican universities, and test whether there is an association between sexual identity and disorders and whether the association is moderated by gender.

METHOD

The University Project for Healthy Students, a web-based survey conducted as part of the World Health Organization's World Mental Health International College Student initiative, recruited 7874 students from nine Mexican universities in 2016 and 2017. Logistic regressions estimated the association of sexual identity with 12-month major depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, and drug abuse/dependence, with interaction terms for gender.

RESULTS

Compared to heterosexual students reporting no same-sex attraction (SSA), heterosexual students with SSA (AORs range 1.77-3.67) and lesbian/gay and bisexual students (AORs range 2.22-5.32) were at a higher risk for several disorders. Asexual students were at higher risk for drug abuse/dependence (AOR = 3.64). Students unsure of their sexual identity were at a higher risk for major depressive episode, panic disorder, and drug abuse/dependence (AORs range 2.25-3.82). Gender differences varied across sexual identity and disorder.

CONCLUSION

These findings are the first empirical report of sexual minority psychiatric disparities among a college student population from a developing nation and underscore the importance of clinical interventions that address mental health needs among sexual minority college students.

Psychopathology and self-harm among incoming first-year students in six Mexican universities

OBJECTIVE

To estimate psychopathology and self-harm behavior of incoming first-year college students, sociodemographic correlates, service use and willingness to seek treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

4 189 male and female incoming first-year students of six universities in four different states of Mexico responded to an online survey with a 79.3% response rate.

RESULTS

Almost one in three incoming students has experienced some type of psychopathology; however, only one in five has received treatment. Female, students who are older, whose parents are not married or deceased, and who have a non-heterosexual orientation, no religion or a non-Catholic/Christian religion have greater odds (1.18 - 1.99), whereas those who attend a private university and have a parent with some college education have lower odds (0.68 - 0.75) of experiencing any probable disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial unmet need for mental health services combined with reported willingness to use university services suggests an opportunity for the detection, referral, and treatment of incoming students to promote a successful transition.