University students' sense of coherence, future worries and mental health: Findings from the German COVID-HL-survey

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Kevin Dadaczynski
  • Orkan Okan
  • Melanie Messer
  • Katharina Rathmann

Early-on in the COVID-19 pandemic when universities were closed as part of the nation-wide public health response to the COVID-19 outbreak, studying and student life significantly changed. Based on limited evidence the aim of this study was to explore the relationship between sense of coherence (SoC), future worries and mental health outcomes among German university students during the early phase of the pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey with n = 14 916 participants was carried out by inviting all private and public universities in Germany. All data were analysed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistics. Findings indicate a low and very low wellbeing for 38% of university students. Moreover, 29% reported being affected by at least two health complaints more than once week. Both health outcomes follow a social gradient and could be more frequently observed for respondents with lower subjective social status and female students. Regression analysis revealed significant association between the SoC dimensions and wellbeing (OR: 1.2-2.03) as well as health complaints (OR: 1.58-1.71). A high level of future worries was associated with low/very low wellbeing (OR: 2.83) and multiple health complaints (OR: 2.84). Based on the results, the public health response to the pandemic and university health promotion should therefore consider student mental health as an important target within their policy and action frameworks.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberdaab070
JournalHealth Promotion International
Volume37
Issue number1
Number of pages11
ISSN0957-4824
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 17.02.2022

Bibliographical note

© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press.

    Research areas

  • COVID-19, psychosomatic complaints, sense of coherence, university students, wellbeing
  • Health sciences

Documents

DOI

Recently viewed

Researchers

  1. Gesche Keding

Publications

  1. A longitudinal study of teachers' occupational well-being
  2. Helical [n]catamantanes and all-trans-perhydroacenic [n]perimantanes
  3. No longer second-class citizens
  4. Democracy challenged
  5. Liebe 2000
  6. Die EuErbVO und das neue Privileg in internationalen Erbfällen nach Art. 913 Abs. 3 Code civi
  7. Culture's Influence on Emotional Intelligence
  8. Eigene Wege entdecken - Das Linzer Konzept der Klassenführung
  9. Was bleibt gut?
  10. A Note on the Granular Nature of Imports in German Manufacturing Industries
  11. Kindliches Schweigen oder taube Institutionen?
  12. Nachhaltigkeit in der Unternehmensberichterstattung
  13. New Social Movements and Smaller Parties
  14. Sustainable human resource management and job satisfaction—Unlocking the power of organizational identification
  15. The post-entry performance of new small firms in German manufacturing-industries
  16. Sustainable business models and sustainable supply chain management
  17. German 1963
  18. Analysis of the Influence of Fibers on the Formability of Metal Blanks in Manufacturing Processes for Fiber Metal Laminates
  19. Lockvogel für Umsteiger
  20. Ausgewählte Kapitel der Theoretischen Informatik
  21. Novel Thought
  22. Increasing the Agility of IT Delivery
  23. Fashioning a Proper Institutional Position
  24. Freedom Rising
  25. Das label und die macht
  26. Contextual Triggers of Family Conflicts in Folake Amanfo’s Celebrity Marriage and Caliph Uzar’s After Knot
  27. How Political Careers affect Prime-Ministerial Performance
  28. The affective shift model of work engagement
  29. Klein, Naomi (b. 1970) and the Movement Against Neoliberal Globalization
  30. Act or Wait-and-See? Adversity, Agility, and Entrepreneur Wellbeing across Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic
  31. Long-term health-related quality of life after decompressive hemicraniectomy in stroke patients with life-threatening space-occupying brain edema
  32. SYMPOSIUM .7. CHANGES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLING - INCOMPLETE MODERNIZATION AND CRITIQUE OF MODERNITY - FOREWORD
  33. Sustainability Strategies: What's in a Name?
  34. Media Review
  35. Making Sociological Theories Come Alive
  36. Gibt es eine Wissenschaft des Fremden ?
  37. Schaubilder
  38. Jurisdiction in International Fisheries Law: Evolving Trends and New Challenges
  39. Nutzung und User Experience einer gamifizierten Webanwendung zur Förderung der körperlichen Aktivität im betrieblichen Setting
  40. Das Itinerar der Dinge – Objekte und ihre Ordnung
  41. Identification of an immunodominant H-2Db-restricted CTL epitope of human PSA
  42. Business Model Assessment
  43. Die Zeichen der Zeit erkennen
  44. Communities of ground-living spiders in deciduous forests
  45. Schock und medialer Wandel
  46. Job characteristics
  47. Complexity in Water Management and Governance
  48. Apriorische Gewissheit