The invisible problem? Improving students’ mental health

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1. What we know Students in higher education are typically at an age that is vulnerable to developing mental illness. Three-quarters of those with a mental illness first have symptoms before their mid-20s. 2 The peak of onset for most disorders is between the ages of 18 and 25. Over 80 per cent of full-time undergraduates fall into this age range. 3 Moreover, suicide is the second most common cause of death among young people worldwide. 4 There is little robust data on the prevalence of mental illness in higher education. Data sources often fail to define their terminology properly. For example, a well-publicised 2015 survey by the National Union of Students (NUS) found eight out of 10 students had experienced mental health issues in the previous year, but there was no indication of how mental health issues were defined. 5 All we can infer is that eight out of 10 students placed themselves at a point under the ‘mentally very well’ end of the mental health spectrum: not nearly as shocking as the headline statistic implies. The 2013 NUS Mental Distress Survey had a larger sample base and clearer methodology. This time, 10 per cent of students reported a diagnosed mental illness. 6 Similarly, a 2016 Unite survey of over 6,000 students found 12 per cent consider themselves to have a mental illness, such as depression, schizophrenia or an anxiety disorder. Close to one-third of students (32 per cent) reported that in the previous four weeks they had ‘always' or 'often’ felt ‘down or depressed’ and 30 per cent reported ‘always' or 'often’ feeling ‘isolated or lonely’. 7 10 The invisible problem? Improving students’ mental health
Mental, neurological and substance use disorders, by age www.hepi.ac.uk 11 Note: DALYs = disability-adjusted life year. Source: Harvey Whiteford et al, The global burden of mental, neurological and substance use disorders: an analysis form the global burden of disease study 2010, 2015
Page 1 and 2: The invisible problem? Improving st
Page 3 and 4: Terminology Mental health and menta
Page 5 and 6: Foreword The Rt Hon. Norman Lamb MP
Page 7 and 8: Contents Acknowledgements 6 Executi
Page 9 and 10: Executive summary •• We might e
Page 11: •• Providing training on mental
Page 15 and 16: ecently completed counselling with
Page 17 and 18: of Reading found that, upon startin
Page 19 and 20: Mental and substance misuse disorde
Page 21 and 22: 3. Vulnerability factors A study by
Page 23 and 24: Moreover, some students are used to
Page 25 and 26: Rising living costs are a source of
Page 27 and 28: Students and waiting times A survey
Page 29 and 30: and doing things that I enjoyed, an
Page 31 and 32: Wellbeing, by accommodation type (2
Page 33 and 34: 5. Challenges Data such as the more
Page 35 and 36: Poor staffing ratios are also prese
Page 37 and 38: The MWBHE/UUK report notes 54 per c
Page 39 and 40: Leeds has demonstrated particularly
Page 41 and 42: i. Policy to aid transitions We rec
Page 43 and 44: The University of York have done ex
Page 45 and 46: Personal tutors in particular need
Page 47 and 48: How can you Respond to a Student Ex
Page 49 and 50: from the University of Bristol Stud
Page 51 and 52: A good example of a specific volunt
Page 53 and 54: across psychological disorders, lis
Page 55 and 56: Conclusion Mental health and even l
Page 57 and 58: 12 Karen McKenzie et al, ‘The eff
Page 59 and 60: 33 Lorraine Khan, Missed opportunit
Page 61 and 62: 58 The Samaritans, Facts and figure
Page 63 and 64:
80 Jonathan Neves and Nick Hillman,
Page 65 and 66:
Trustees Professor Sir Ivor Crewe (
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The invisible problem? Improving students’ mental health

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