Students suffer from mental health problems at a significantly higher rate than working people of the same age. According to the Swedish Public Health Agency, half of all students experience anxiety, worry or distress and one in four experience impaired mental well-being. This is not acceptable.
We are now writing together with Saco Student Council in Sydsvenskan and Helsingborgs dagblad that the government needs to take responsibility in the matter and introduce special measures to reduce mental ill health among students. Read an excerpt below and the article in full here
A series of measures must be implemented immediately to reduce mental ill health among students.
1. Improve the work environment. According to CSN's report, the majority of students believe Student Health 2020 that their health problems are wholly or partly affected by the study situation. This may include, for example, high performance demands, lack of support from teachers or discrimination and sexual harassment.
2. Increase students' financial security. According to CSN's report, one in three students with mental health problems states that their financial situation is fully or partially the cause of their health problems. This may be due to concerns about not being able to pay bills or stress about having to work extra hours and at the same time devote enough time to their studies to meet performance requirements and fully absorb their education.
Read the full article in Sydsvenskan (published 22/5)
3. Give students the opportunity for security. As a student, you are not entitled to either student loans or unemployment insurance after your degree. If you become ill during your studies, you have a 30-day waiting period before you can receive sickness compensation. It is also not possible to be on sick leave part-time. More stress in an already vulnerable situation increases the risk of feeling worse. If the government takes the initiative to strengthen security systems, unemployment insurance for students and the possibility of sick leave, the country's students will be given the conditions for a healthier study situation.