A new US-UK diagnostic project: mood elevation and depression in first-year undergraduates at Oxford and Stanford universities.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences in prevalence of mood elevation, distress and depression among first-year undergraduates at Oxford and Stanford universities. METHOD: An online survey was sent to Oxford and Stanford first-year undergraduate students for two consecutive years in the winter of 2005 and 2006. Students completed a survey that assessed mood symptoms and medication use. RESULTS: Both universities had similar rates of distress by General Health Questionnaire (Oxford - 42.4%; Stanford - 38.3%), depression by Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (Oxford - 6.2%; Stanford - 6.6%), and psychotropic and non-psychotropic medication usage (psychotropic: Oxford - 1.5%; Stanford 3.5%; nonpsychotropic: Oxford - 13.3%; Stanford - 18%). Oxford had higher rates of mood elevation by Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) (Oxford - 4%; Stanford - 1.7%). CONCLUSION: Oxford and Stanford students have similar rates of mood distress, depression and general medication usage. Students at Oxford have a higher prevalence of MDQ scores that possibly indicate a bipolar disorder, while Stanford students are prescribed more psychotropics.

Author information

Author/s: Chandler, R A (RA); Wang, P W (PW); Ketter, T A (TA); Goodwin, G M (GM);

Affiliation: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica (Acta Psychiatr Scand), published in Denmark. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jul; vol 118 (issue 1) : pp 81-5

Dates: Created 2008/07/01; Completed 2008/09/25;

PMID: 18595178, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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