Abstract

Mental health problems during university years are highly prevalent and often co-occur. Studying the factors associated with the co-occurrence of mental health problems could contribute to the development of preventive and therapeutic interventions. Aim: To describe the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety symptoms, and problematic substance use among university students, and to analyze the relationship between sociodemographic factors and the presence of co-occurring mental health problems. Method: A total of 1,470 university students (53.8% female; mean age 19.6) completed self-report questionnaires on depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), and substance use risk (ASSIST). Data were analyzed using bivariate hypothesis testing and logistic regression models. Results: Among the students, 69.6% reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms, 46.9% moderate to severe generalized anxiety symptoms, and 52.5% substance use risk. A total of 58.6% screened positive for two or more mental health problems. High co-occurrence was observed (between 56.0% and 93.9%, p<0.05) among depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety symptoms, and problematic substance use risk. Female students, non-heterosexual individuals, those from low and middle socioeconomic backgrounds, and those simultaneously studying and working were more likely to experience co-occurring mental health problems (OR ≥1.08; p ≤0.024). Conclusion: A high percentage of students scored above clinically relevant cut points for mental health, with high co-occurrence of depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety symptoms, and risky substance use. Various factors were significantly associated with the presence of co-occurring mental health problems. Based on these findings, it is recommended to consider the co-occurrence of mental health problems in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health issues during university years. © This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en