Relationship between Socioeconomic Factors, Health Behaviors, and Mental Health among University Students of Heilongjiang Province in China

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the association of household income disparity and health risk behaviors with the poor mental health/depression (PMHD) of university students of Heilongjiang Province in China. A stratified cluster sample of 3,189 university students was used in a cross-sectional study. The data were obtained from a self-administered questionnaire, which included questions on sociodemographic characteristics and problem of health areas. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2) was used to determine PMHD of university students. Chi-square test and Cochran-Armitage trend test were used for the categorical data analysis. The associated factors for depression were examined using a logistic regression analysis. The low household income and health risk behaviors in university students were in general related to PMHD. The depression prevalence of low household income university students (29.4%) is higher than that of high household income students. Low household income, smoking habit, and engaging in premarital sex are all major associated factors of depression. For the interaction of these three associated factors, the odds ratio of depression was 3.08 (95% CI 1.11～8.58). Furthermore, the association of depression and other poor mental health has statistical significance. This study confirms that poor mental health was associated with–household income disparity and with health risk behaviors among university students of Heilongjiang Province in China.