Activity 2. Summarize the rising number of college students report mental health condition
Mental Health
In 2018, 42.2 percent of students reported a mental health diagnosis in their lifetime, a 29.1
percent increase from 32.7 percent in 2015. The increase was particularly significant for female
students, with nearly half (48 percent) reporting a mental health condition in their lifetime
compared to 39 percent in 2015.
Consistent with past surveys, anxiety (32 percent) and depression (27 percent) are the most
frequent conditions stated.
"As student mental health needs grow, we have to ask what resources will be needed to keep
pace," said Gary Christenson, MD, chief medical officer, Boynton Health. "The scale of our
campus puts us in a better position to provide students a range of resources. But all colleges and
universities are struggling to keep up. Our survey should be a clear sign to policymakers, mental
health professionals and public health experts that we urgently need to identify public health
approaches to promote good mental health."​