University of Évora and CHRC initiative in the World Mental Health Day - Mental Health among higher education students

University of Évora and CHRC initiative in the World Mental Health Day - Mental Health among higher education students

On October 10th, during the World Mental Health Day, an initiative was carried out with students at the University of Évora through the Vagar(Mente) program, under the responsibility of UÉ and CHRC, for the second consecutive year. 

In the year 2022, unsettling numbers of students suffering from symptoms of anxiety and depression were recorded and this year the initiative happened again, so it was possible once more to monitor and gather data related to Mental Health among young university students. The objective is to understand the magnitude of the problem and to assess whether there’s a need for further reinforcement of support services for the students from University of Évora.

This initiative sought to transmit important information on the topic of Mental Health among higher education students, using strategies that promote mental health and raise awareness of the importance of asking for help in a early stage. To be able to evaluate the results related to Mental Health among University Students, a questionnaire was delivered to the students by email and through a bookmark, along with useful tips and contacts for support if any of the students identify the most recurrent symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

“We asked students to participate in the study “Mental Health of Higher Education Students” so that we could compare with last year's results and to go on with the study. During the day of this initiative, we received 1,128 responses from students at the University of Évora. They embraced the initiative very well and actively participated in addressing the topic. We had 15 teams on the ground made up of teachers, psychologists and students.” – explained the person responsible for the project, Lara Guedes de Pinho, researcher at CHRC and the University of Évora.

This initiative received media coverage from RTP1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMFsmDwfq50) and Rádio Diana (https://www.dianafm.com/universidade-de-evora-assinala-dia-mundial-da-saude-mental/)

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Author

Andreia Santos

Researchers

Lara Guedes de Pinho