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Table 2 The impact of the pandemic on mental health outcomes among students, by season

From: The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on mental health care use among Norwegian students in higher education: a nation-wide register-based pre-post cohort study

 

Pre %

Spring 2020

Summer 2020

Fall 2020

Winter 2020/21

Spring 2021

Summer 2021

Fall 2021

Winter 2021/22

Mental health outcome

 

β (SE)

Rel. %

β (SE)

Rel. %

β (SE)

Rel. %

β (SE)

Rel. %

β (SE)

Rel. %

β (SE)

Rel. %

β (SE)

Rel. %

β (SE)

Rel. %

Any mental health consultation

1.08

-0.24***

(0.08)

-22

0.03

(0.08)

3

-0.08

(0.09)

-8

0.12

(0.09)

11

0.51***

(0.11)

47

0.14

(0.11)

13

0.29**

(0.12)

27

0.14

(0.11)

13

Anxiety, depression consultation

0.59

-0.16***

(0.06)

-27

-0.03

(0.06)

-5

-0.17**

(0.07)

-29

0

(0.07)

-1-0,73

0.35***

(0.09)

59

0.04

(0.08)

6

0.25***

(0.09)

41

-0.08

(0.09)

-13

Sleep disturbance consultation

0.15

-0.03

(0.02)

-23

0.01

(0.02)

4

0.01

(0.03)

6

0

(0.03)

-1

0

(0.03)

-1

0.04

(0.03)

27

0

(0.04)

1

0.01

(0.04)

7

Anxiolytics, antidepressants, sedatives

0.8

-0.11

(0.07)

-14

-0.03

(0.08)

-4

-0.04

(0.09)

-5

0.02

(0.1)

2

        

Anxiolytics, antidepressants

0.51

-0.05

(0.06)

-9

-0.04

(0.06)

-9

-0.11

(0.08)

-21

0.01

(0.08)

1

        

Sedatives

0.33

-0.07

(0.05)

-23

0

(0.05)

0

0.02

(0.05)

8

-0.02

(0.06)

-6

        
  1. The first column shows the average monthly percent of pandemic students with at least one mental health outcome before the pandemic (i.e., before March 2020), calculated separately for each outcome. Difference-in-difference estimates (β) quantify the change in mental health outcomes (measured as change in percentage points), controlling for age, year of enrollment and a dummy variable for the duration variable in season-year. Standard errors (SEs) are clustered on individuals. In addition to the presentation of results in absolute terms, relative differences in percent (Rel. %) are also presented, calculated by dividing the absolute estimate (and corresponding standard error) for each of the post-periods by the monthly average health outcome for the pandemic students in the period prior to the pandemic (January 2019-February 2020 for consultations and October 2019-February 2020 for dispensed prescription drugs, Pre %). Stars indicate confidence levels (*p ≤ 0.1; **p ≤ 0.05; ***p ≤ 0.01)