Response to college students’ mental health needs: a rapid review

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To present strategic options to support the adoption of mental health strengthening policies for university students in the field of health, to be implemented by university institutions. METHODS Rapid review, without period delimitation, with searches carried out from May to June 2020, in 21 sources of bibliographic data, including gray literature. The following keywords were used: mental health, students and university. The selection process prioritized systematic reviews of mental health interventions for university students in health care courses, and also considered other types of review and relevant primary studies. RESULTS Forty-five studies were included: 34 systematic reviews, an evidence synthesis, an overview, a scope review, three narrative reviews, three experience reports and two opinion articles. The evidence from these studies supported the development of four options: 1) to establish and support policies to strengthen the mental health of students in health care courses; 2) to integrate mental health care programs, expand their offer and facilitate access by students; 3) to promote educational programs and communication strategies related to contemporary psychic suffering and its confrontation, so that students can get to know the services and resources and identify strengthening practices; 4) to continuously monitor and assess the mental health needs of students in health care courses. CONCLUSIONS The options are challenging and require universities to establish institutional commissions to implement a policy to strengthen the mental health of university students in the health area, with the ability to recognize the different health needs, including manifestations of psychic suffering ; to integrate the university’s internal actions with each other and with the services of the Unified Health System; to implement and monitor the actions that make up the mental health policy.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Gaiotto,Emiliana Maria Grando, Trapé,Carla Andrea, Campos,Celia Maria Sivalli, Fujimori,Elizabeth, Carrer,Fernanda Campos de Almeida, Nichiata,Lucia Yassuko Izumi, Cordeiro,Luciana, Bortoli,Maritsa Carla de, Yonekura,Tatiana, Toma,Tereza Setsuko, Soares,Cassia Baldini
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo 2021
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102021000100509
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