The relationship between mental and physical health: a longitudinal analysis with British students

This study aims to examine how physical health variables influence changes in mental health symptoms, and vice versa, over time, in a sample of British undergraduate students. A longitudinal design over a one-year time period. A national sample of 430 British undergraduate students completed measures of mental health and physical health online at up to four time-points across their first two years of university. General physical health and energy and fatigue predicted more severe depression, anxiety, stress and poorer general mental health over time. Depression and stress predicted poorer physical functioning over time. Greater anxiety predicted poorer general health and more severe pain over time. General mental health was not predictive of general physical health. Overall, poor general physical health appears to exacerbate mental health symptoms in students to a greater extent than mental health problems lead to a deterioration in physical health. This study adds a longitudinal design to a field that is usually cross-sectional, as well as a lack of consideration of how this relationship may differ within student samples. Early interventions should integrate physical and mental well-being rather than focus on any single health-related behaviour.
Source: Journal of Public Mental Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research