The association between mental health and acute infectious illness among a national sample of 18- to 24-year-old college students.
Poor mental health is associated with physical illness, but this association is poorly characterized among college students.


OBJECTIVE
Using American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment data, the authors characterized poor mental health (depression, anxiety, negative affect) and examined the relationship between poor mental health and acute infectious illnesses (bronchitis, ear infection, sinusitis, strep throat) among 47,202 US college students.


METHODS
The authors used frequency and cross-tabulation analyses to characterize mental health and determine univariate associations among variables. They used binary logistic regression to determine the association between poor mental health and acute infectious illness, controlling for research-derived covariates.


RESULTS
The prevalence of acute infectious illness ranged from 8% to 29%. The prevalence of anxiety and depression ranged from 12% to 20%, respectively. Depression, anxiety, and exhaustion were associated with acute infectious illness across all dependent measures, with odds ratios ranging from .56 to .91.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor mental health is associated with acute infectious illness among college students.
Adams
Troy B
TB
Department of Exercise and Wellness, Arizona State University, Gilbert, AZ, USA. drtroy@cox.net
Wharton
Christopher M
CM
Quilter
Lyndsay
L
Hirsch
Tiffany
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities