Mental Health Problems and Associated Factors in Chinese High School Students in Henan Province: A Cross-Sectional Study

Yan Luo, Zhenti Cui, Ping Zou, Kai Wang, Zihan Lin, Jinjie He and Jing Wang
Additional contact information
Yan Luo: Faculty of Nursing, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76# Yanta West Road, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
Zhenti Cui: Faculty of Nursing, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76# Yanta West Road, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
Ping Zou: School of Nursing, Nipissing University, 750 Dundas West, Room 209, Toronto, ON M6J3S3, Canada
Kai Wang: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13# Hang Kong Road, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
Zihan Lin: Faculty of Nursing, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76# Yanta West Road, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
Jinjie He: Faculty of Nursing, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76# Yanta West Road, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
Jing Wang: Faculty of Nursing, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76# Yanta West Road, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-13

Abstract: Approximately one in five adolescents experience mental health problems globally. However, studies on mental health problems in Chinese high school students are few. Therefore, this study examined the status and associated factors of mental health problems in high school students in China. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling procedure was adopted, leading to a final sample of 15,055 participants from 46 high schools in all 17 provincial cities of Henan province, China. Self-reported questionnaires were used to collect the data. A mental health problems variable was assessed using the Mental Health Inventory of Middle School Students. The positive rate of mental health problems among high school students was 41.8%, with a male predominance (43.3% versus 40.2% in females; p < 0.01). The most frequent mental health problem was academic stress (58.9%). Higher grades, physical disease, chronic constipation, alcohol consumption, engagement in sexual behavior, residence on campus, and living in nonurban areas and with single-parent families were significantly associated with higher odds of having mental health problems ( p < 0.05). We suggest that the prevention of mental health problems in high school students be strengthened, especially in students with physical illnesses, unhealthy behaviors, and single-parent families.

Keywords: adolescents; associated factors; China; mental health problems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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