Summary
This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesised evidence from multiple studies to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and sleep disturbance among higher education students during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021). The authors generated pooled prevalence estimates and examined sources of heterogeneity to characterise acute mental health impacts of pandemic-related disruptions on student populations. Findings are primarily reflective of 2020–2021 data and may not capture longer-term trajectories or recovery patterns.
Regional applicability
The study's geographic scope is not specified in the metadata provided. Applicability to United Kingdom higher education students would depend on whether UK-based studies were included in the systematic review and on the extent to which pandemic-related disruptions and student populations were comparable across regions.
Key measures
Pooled prevalence estimates for depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and sleep disturbance; heterogeneity analysis
Outcomes reported
The study estimated pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and sleep disturbance among higher education students during the acute COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–2021). Sources of heterogeneity were examined to characterise mental health impacts across student populations.
Topic tags
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