RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PHARMACY STUDENTS
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Abstract
Background: The extent to which pharmacy students perceive their mental health and how
this may directly affect their academic performance appears to have not been extensively
studied in Nigeria. Objective: To determine the prevalence of mental health problems and assess how it affects
academic performance in undergraduate pharmacy students. The relationship between socio- demographic factors and mental health was also investigated. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a DASS-21 rating scale for mental health was
conducted among pharmacy students from six Southern Nigerian universities. Inferential
analysis was done by computation of Student T-test and one way Analysis of Variance. P- values less than 0.05 were interpreted as significant. Results: Out of 843 pharmacy students’ responses, 757 were found usable giving a response
rate of 89.7%. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress were 53%, 60% and 35%
respectively. Those who have depression, anxiety and stress significantly had better grades
compared to those without mental health problems who passed more courses at p<0.05. Those who belong to school fellowship, aged<20yrs and have lost their mother are more
anxious (61%) on the DASS_21 rating scale. Those who stay in school hostel reported having
more anxiety (61%) and stress (35%). Conclusion: The findings suggest that the prevalence of mental health problems is high with
depression (53%), anxiety (60%) and stress (35%) significantly affecting the academic
performance of pharmacy students. Socio-demographic factors such as age and proximity to
school seems to have a relationship with mental health. KEY WORDS: Mental health disorders, DASS_21, Perception, Pharmacy Education, Pharmacy Student
this may directly affect their academic performance appears to have not been extensively
studied in Nigeria. Objective: To determine the prevalence of mental health problems and assess how it affects
academic performance in undergraduate pharmacy students. The relationship between socio- demographic factors and mental health was also investigated. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a DASS-21 rating scale for mental health was
conducted among pharmacy students from six Southern Nigerian universities. Inferential
analysis was done by computation of Student T-test and one way Analysis of Variance. P- values less than 0.05 were interpreted as significant. Results: Out of 843 pharmacy students’ responses, 757 were found usable giving a response
rate of 89.7%. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress were 53%, 60% and 35%
respectively. Those who have depression, anxiety and stress significantly had better grades
compared to those without mental health problems who passed more courses at p<0.05. Those who belong to school fellowship, aged<20yrs and have lost their mother are more
anxious (61%) on the DASS_21 rating scale. Those who stay in school hostel reported having
more anxiety (61%) and stress (35%). Conclusion: The findings suggest that the prevalence of mental health problems is high with
depression (53%), anxiety (60%) and stress (35%) significantly affecting the academic
performance of pharmacy students. Socio-demographic factors such as age and proximity to
school seems to have a relationship with mental health. KEY WORDS: Mental health disorders, DASS_21, Perception, Pharmacy Education, Pharmacy Student
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