Nearly half of college-age adults struggle with a mental health disorder, from alcohol dependency to depression and anxiety. But only a quarter seek treatment, according to a study published today.
"This study gives a picture of the magnitude of the problem and the extent to which these disorders go untreated," said Dr. Mark Olfson, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and lead author of the study. "It really lays out the challenge of providing services to meet the need, particularly of alcohol use disorders."
The study found similar rates of psychiatric illnesses among college students and those not enrolled in college, suggesting that the stressful transition from adolescence to adulthood can trigger the onset of a mental health problem regardless of setting. Olfson said he hopes the data will provoke discussion about how to get more young people into treatment.
Researchers analyzed results of the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a sweeping national survey of 43,093 adults of all ages conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Olfson's study, which appears in this week's Archives of General Psychiatry, focuses on the responses from about 5,000 people between the ages of 19 and 25. It compared findings in two groups, those enrolled in college - 2,188 - and those who were not - 2,904.
"This study gives a picture of the magnitude of the problem and the extent to which these disorders go untreated," said Dr. Mark Olfson, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and lead author of the study. "It really lays out the challenge of providing services to meet the need, particularly of alcohol use disorders."
The study found similar rates of psychiatric illnesses among college students and those not enrolled in college, suggesting that the stressful transition from adolescence to adulthood can trigger the onset of a mental health problem regardless of setting. Olfson said he hopes the data will provoke discussion about how to get more young people into treatment.
Researchers analyzed results of the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a sweeping national survey of 43,093 adults of all ages conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Olfson's study, which appears in this week's Archives of General Psychiatry, focuses on the responses from about 5,000 people between the ages of 19 and 25. It compared findings in two groups, those enrolled in college - 2,188 - and those who were not - 2,904.
Among college students, alcohol abuse and dependency were the most common at 20 percent, followed by personality disorders such as obsessive-compulsive and paranoid disorders at 18 percent. Non-college students were most likely to report personality disorders and nicotine dependence.
The rates of mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, were 11 percent for college students and 12 percent for non-students. The same rates were found for anxiety disorders in each group.
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The rates of mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, were 11 percent for college students and 12 percent for non-students. The same rates were found for anxiety disorders in each group.
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