4.4 MENTAL HEALTH

The vast majority (85%) of students rated their mental health as good or

very good.  However, 4% perceived their mental health as poor or very

poor, which was higher than the number of students who rated their general

health (1.1%) or quality of life (2.4%) as poor.  Students were asked how

they would respond to feeling very anxious or depressed.  The more

positive and health promoting responses included; talking to someone

(69%), finding information about the situation (24%), praying (21%) and

going to the hospital or health centre (3%).  However, the less positive

responses were very evident, where over half (55%) of the students said

they would sort it out alone, one third (35%) would try to ignore it, one in

ten would take drugs, drink or get drunk and 6% would do nothing.  Male

students were less likely to seek help and more likely to try to sort it out

alone, take drugs or get drunk or do nothing than females students (Table

6). 

Table 6: Response to feeling very anxious and depressed   by gender

Dealing with anxiety/depression

Males

Females

Total

%

%

%

Positive responses

Talk to someone

55.4

77.7

69.3*

Find information

24.8

24.3

24.5 

Pray

16.6

23.1

20.7* 

Go to hospital/health centre

2.2

3.8

3.2*

Negative Responses

Sort out alone

63.7

49.6

54.9*

Try to ignore

33.8

37.1

35.8

Take drugs or get drunk

11.0

7.4

8.7*

Can't imagine feeling that way

6.2

2.7

4.0*

Do nothing

6.9

4.7

5.5*

Not sure

3.5

2.1

2.6

*Significant between gender (p<.01)

Third year students were more likely to talk to someone and less likely to try

and sort it out alone. First and second year male students were more likely

to try and ignore it or do nothing about feeling very anxious or depressed in

comparison to third year male students (Figure 5).

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