Abstract
Mental disorders among college students, especially in the medical field, are a rising public health concern and can impede academic progress. Despite their prevalence, the impact of sociocultural and academic factors on students' mental health across diverse disciplines and academic levels remains under-explored. Our systematic review sought to understand how factors, including gender identity, ethnicity, racial background, sexual orientation, housing status, economic conditions, course specifics, academic performance, and field of study, influence depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation. We screened five databases, prioritizing longitudinal, cross-sectional, and case-control studies, excluding intervention-based or qualitative research, reviews, theses, and editorials, or those without validated tools. From the studies, 32, representing 642,893 students, were pertinent. A noteworthy finding from our review was the pronounced prevalence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among these students. Risks were particularly heightened for females and individuals from marginalized sexual, racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Given the growing importance and diversity of student populations, our review emphasizes the urgent need for further research and mental health initiatives that cater to students' vast array of sociocultural and economic backgrounds.
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