Analysis of University Students’ Perception of Mental Health

Mental health of university students has become an increasingly important public health issue, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the high prevalence of mental illness, there still lacks a deeper understanding of how students themselves perceive their mental health and what contextual and institutional factors influence this perception. This research focused on the perception of mental health among university students in the Czech Republic and analysed their attitudes towards the urban environment as well as the preferred forms of support. The cross-sectional questionnaire survey, conducted online, involved 767 students from five public universities. The fifteen questions covered the areas of internal experiences, social background, and institutional conditions. Data were analysed using the principal component analysis (PCA) and Welch’s t-test to compare gender differences. Analysis revealed three latent components shaping the perception of mental health: (1) subjective mental well-being (e.g., loneliness, self-assessment of the mental state); (2) contextual and interpersonal factors (e.g., feeling of security, family support); and (3) institutional determinants (e.g., availability of services, family background). Gender differences were statistically significant in the second and third components – women showed higher sensitivity to institutional and environmental factors. Social networks, study demands, and family relationships were perceived as the main stressors by the students, while cultural and educational possibilities of the cities were valued positively by them. Availability of services at the universities, prevention, and easier access to care were considered by them as the most suitable forms of support. The findings show that students’ perception of mental health is multilayered – influenced by individual, social, as well as institutional aspects. Efficient public health strategies should therefore not be limited to clinical intervention, but they should corroborate the university environment, reflect gender differences, and improve the systemic availability of support.