Selected psychiatric problems among college students in two Arab countries: Comparison with the USA

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dc.contributor.authorKronfol, Ziad A.
dc.contributor.authorKhalifa, Batoul
dc.contributor.authorKhoury, Brigitte A.
dc.contributor.authorOmar, Omar Mohamed
dc.contributor.authorDaouk, Sariah
dc.contributor.authorde Witt, J. P.
dc.contributor.authorEl Azab, Nourehan
dc.contributor.authorEisenberg, Daniel
dc.contributor.departmentPsychiatry
dc.contributor.facultyFaculty of Medicine (FM)
dc.contributor.institutionAmerican University of Beirut
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-24T12:11:52Z
dc.date.available2025-01-24T12:11:52Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractBackground: Psychiatric problems among college students on USA campuses are common. Little is known about similar problems in developing countries, particularly the Arab region. The goal of this study was to assess the frequency of selected psychiatric problems among college students in two Arab countries: Qatar and Lebanon, and to compare them to the USA. Methods: The Healthy Minds Study, an online confidential survey of common psychiatric symptoms designed for college campuses was used. We used the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to screen for major depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to screen for generalized anxiety and the SCOFF questionnaire to screen for eating disorders. Comparisons were made using ANOVA, Chi-Square tests and logistic regressions. Results: A total of 1841 students participated in the study. The rates of depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 12), generalized anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 10) and eating disorders (SCOFF≥3) at the combined Arab universities were 34.6, 36.1 and 20.4% respectively. The corresponding rates in the USA were: 12.8, 15.9 and 6.8% (p < 0.001 for all measures). The impact of psychiatric problems on functioning in general and academic performance in particular was more severe in the Arab countries compared to the USA (p < 0.001). Independent predictors of psychiatric problems in general included location, female gender, financial difficulties and poor grades. Being religious had a protective association with mental health. Conclusion: The rates of depression, anxiety and eating disorders were significantly higher among college students in Qatar and Lebanon compared to the USA. Additional research is needed to determine whether these results reflect methodological limitations or true differences in psychopathology across these populations. If replicated, the results indicate that the psychiatric problems on college campuses in the USA are a microcosm of a global problem that needs global solutions. © 2018 The Author(s).
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1718-7
dc.identifier.eid2-s2.0-85047555832
dc.identifier.pmid29793465
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10938/32598
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltd.
dc.relation.ispartofBMC Psychiatry
dc.sourceScopus
dc.subjectAnxiety
dc.subjectArab countries
dc.subjectCollege students
dc.subjectCultural psychiatry
dc.subjectDepression
dc.subjectEating disorders
dc.subjectAdolescent
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectAnxiety disorders
dc.subjectDepressive disorder, major
dc.subjectEthnopsychology
dc.subjectFeeding and eating disorders
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectLebanon
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectMental health
dc.subjectPsychiatric status rating scales
dc.subjectQatar
dc.subjectStudents
dc.subjectSurveys and questionnaires
dc.subjectUniversities
dc.subjectAcademic achievement
dc.subjectAcademic failure
dc.subjectAnxiety assessment
dc.subjectArticle
dc.subjectAttitude to mental illness
dc.subjectBehavior disorder assessment
dc.subjectClinical feature
dc.subjectCollege
dc.subjectCollege student
dc.subjectDisease association
dc.subjectDisease classification
dc.subjectDisease severity
dc.subjectEating disorder
dc.subjectFinancial statement
dc.subjectGender
dc.subjectGeneral condition
dc.subjectGeneralized anxiety disorder
dc.subjectGeneralized anxiety disorder 7
dc.subjectHealth survey
dc.subjectHuman
dc.subjectLifestyle modification
dc.subjectMajor depression
dc.subjectMental disease
dc.subjectOnline analysis
dc.subjectPatient health questionnaire 9
dc.subjectPrediction
dc.subjectPrevalence
dc.subjectReligion
dc.subjectScoff questionnaire
dc.subjectScreening test
dc.subjectSocial participation
dc.subjectSurvival rate
dc.subjectUnited states
dc.subjectAnxiety disorder
dc.subjectComparative study
dc.subjectCultural psychology
dc.subjectProcedures
dc.subjectPsychological rating scale
dc.subjectPsychology
dc.subjectQuestionnaire
dc.subjectStatistics and numerical data
dc.subjectStudent
dc.subjectUniversity
dc.titleSelected psychiatric problems among college students in two Arab countries: Comparison with the USA
dc.typeArticle

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