- Survey data show disconnect between students and parents on the
need for quality mental and behavioral health care
- Data also show correlation between mental or behavioral health
concerns and doubts about on-time graduation
- Data suggest increased education and communication can shift
perceptions and help outcomes
UnitedHealthcare today announced new survey findings revealing
college students are more likely to report they or a roommate or
friend have encountered mental or behavioral health concerns over
the past year, compared to what parents report knowing about their
college-age children.
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The survey also found gaps in awareness among college students
regarding how to access mental and behavioral health care,
uncovered student misconceptions about cost and ease of access for
these services, and showed a correlation between students’
self-reported mental health concerns and doubts about on-time
graduation.
The survey found students are self-reporting that they or a
roommate or friend encountered mental or behavioral health concerns
in the past year – including anxiety (55%), depression (41%) and
eating disorders (11%) – and 15% of those students who have not
sought help for behavioral or mental health concerns say it’s
because they don’t know how to access on-campus behavioral and
mental health services. Of particular concern, suicidal ideation
and intent was self-reported by 13% of student respondents.
“It may not be surprising that some students and parents have
different perceptions of the college experience, but this report
demonstrates the need to create environments for ongoing meaningful
conversations with these emerging adults,” said Dr. Donald
Tavakoli, national medical director for behavioral health,
UnitedHealthcare. “We need to work with students to educate them on
their options for mental and behavioral support. Colleges, parents,
health care providers and health plans all can play a role in
supporting navigation to appropriate care.”
Commissioned by UnitedHealthcare and conducted by YouGov, “The
College Student Behavioral Health Report” surveyed a total sample
of 1,034 Americans, of whom 506 were college students, and 528 were
parents of college students, enrolled in an institution of higher
education across the country.
Data reveal college students may be struggling with more than
typical exam stress – and parents may underestimate the frequency
of serious mental health concerns.
Student respondents self-reported that they or a roommate or
friend encountered potentially life-threatening mental or
behavioral health concerns during the past year, including
depression, eating disorders and suicidal ideation and intent, but
survey data indicate that parents may not always be aware. For
example:
- 41% of students self-reported they encountered or managed
depression, while only 22% of parents said their students had this
experience.
- 11% of students self-reported they encountered or managed
eating disorders compared to only 5% of parents who said their
students had this experience.
Of particular note, 13% of students self-reported they
encountered or managed suicidal ideation and intent, while only 4%
of parents said their students had this experience.
Students cite barriers to accessing mental or behavioral
health care.
When asked why students did not seek mental or behavioral care,
among those not seeking it, parents were more likely than students
(73% versus 49%) to say it was because their children did not need
mental or behavioral health support. In contrast, students
self-reported they did not seek help for reasons that point to
perceptions around cost, difficulty in getting appointments and a
lack of knowledge about where to access resources. Survey results
showed:
- Among students who did not seek help for behavioral or mental
health concerns, 60% self-reported they or a college
friend/roommate did need help but did not seek it because it
is too expensive (38%), they did not know where to find behavioral
or mental health resources (23%), and/or that it took too long to
get an appointment (21%).
- 31% of respondents said they or their student did not know how
to access on-campus behavioral or mental health services or
believed their school does not offer them.
- College students who did need support, but did not seek it,
were more than twice as likely (38%) as parents (16%) to report
that they did not seek help because it is too expensive.
Mental or behavioral health concerns may be linked to doubts
about graduating on time.
For students who encountered mental or behavioral health
concerns during the past year, survey results showed increased
rates of doubts about on-time graduation – particularly among those
whose self-reported concerns may be life-threatening, such as
suicidal ideation and intent (88% doubt their ability to graduate
on time), eating disorders (82% doubt their ability to graduate on
time), or depression (79% doubt their ability to graduate on time).
In contrast, only 30% of students who did not self-report
encountering mental or behavioral health concerns in the past year
doubt their ability to graduate on time.
Solutions may include increased communication among students,
families, colleges and providers.
“Recognizing that college students may be facing more than just
stress about schoolwork is an important first step in encouraging
dialogue and increasing support. It’s critical that colleges,
families, providers and health plans work together to provide
resources and support to students where and when they need it,”
added Dr. Tavakoli.
Steps toward reducing barriers to care, both real and perceived,
may include:
- Increasing communications with students and families on where
and how to access care, even when it may be difficult.
- Sharing guidance with students and families on how to
understand and take advantage of student health insurance plans
and/or family insurance benefits while in college, including clear
information about what plan students have, what benefits are
included and how to utilize services such as virtual care that may
make mental and behavioral health support more readily accessible
in moments of need.
- Dispelling misperceptions around cost, wait time and
appointment availability, so that students better understand their
own options for care, and can also provide guidance to friends or
roommates who may encounter mental or behavioral health
challenges.
In addition to advocacy and resources for mental health
programs, UnitedHealthcare offers helpful parent and youth
“conversation starter cards” that are designed to
help parents talk to their kids about mental well-being and that
try to spark conversations that move past one-word answers.
For more information about behavioral health resources, visit
UHC.com.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier
lives and making the health system work better for everyone by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full
spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and
Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with
more than 1.6 million physicians and care professionals, and 8,000
hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also
provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned
and operated health care facilities in South America.
UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group
(NYSE: UNH), a diversified health care company. For more
information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow
@UHC on Twitter.
About The College Student Behavioral Health Report
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total
sample size was 1,034, of whom 528 were parents of college students
and 506 were college students currently enrolled in an institution
of higher education across the country. Fieldwork was undertaken
between August 8 and August 14, 2022. The survey was carried out
online.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230322005047/en/
UnitedHealthcare Will Holman 952-931-5926
William_s_holman@uhc.com
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