Depression rates higher among college students than their peers, study suggests

College students may be at a greater risk of experiencing depression and anxiety compared to young people who are not in higher education, according to a new study published in The Lancet Public Health.

Researchers from University College London analyzed data from two studies.

The first study looked at 4,832 young people who were 18 and 19 years old between 2007 and 2009. 

The second analyzed 6,128 young people who were 18 and 19 years old between 2016 and 2018. Just over half of the participants were attending college.

Based on multiple surveys the young people completed about their mental health, there was a small, elevated risk for depression and anxiety among the students compared to the non-students. There was an approximate 6% difference in risk between the two groups.