According to a new study psychiatric disorders are high in the youth between the ages of 18-24 years in both those who attend college and those who do not. Substance abuse, nicotine addiction, personality disorders or other mental-health conditions affect almost half the individuals in this age bracket but only one forth of them seek treatment.

The authors of the paper, who were from Columbia University published today in the Archives of General Psychiatry said, "For many, young adulthood is characterized by the pursuit of greater educational opportunities and employment prospects, development of personal relationships and, for some, parenthood. While all of these circumstances offer opportunities for growth, they may also result in stress that precipitates the onset or recurrence of psychiatric disorders,"

In the study undertaken by Carlos Blanco, M. D., Ph. D., of the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, and colleagues they compared the mental health of the youth between the ages of 18-24 who were in college and compared them to individuals of the same age not enrolled in college. They analyzed data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions and this national survey comprised of individuals age 19 to 25 who were attending (2,188) or not attending (2,904) college during the previous year who were interviewed and assessed for psychiatric disorders between 2001 and 2002.

A total of 45.8% of college students and 47.7% of young adults not in college met the criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder. The researchers found that alcohol abuse was the most common at 20.7 % followed by personality disorders at 17.7 % in the college going group. The non-college growing group had personality disorders at the top at 21.6 % followed by nicotine dependence at 20.7 %. The college students were less likely to receive treatment for alcohol and drug abuse than the non-college goers and were also less likely to have a diagnosis of drug use disorder, nicotine dependence or bipolar disorder and were less likely to have used tobacco. Their risk of alcohol use disorders was significantly greater than the other group noted the researchers.

"In view of the high prevalence and low rate of treatment of alcohol use disorders in college students, greater efforts to implement screening and intervention programs on college and university campuses are warranted," the authors said. "The centralized delivery of campus student health services might offer an advantageous structure for carrying out such screening and interventions."

The researchers said overall the psychiatric disorder rate in this age group is high as they are at a vulnerable stage of their life. They said, "The vast majority of disorders in this population can be effectively treated with evidence-based psychosocial and pharmacological approaches. Early treatment could reduce the persistence of these disorders and their associated functional impairment, loss of productivity and increased health care costs. As these young people represent our nation's future, urgent action is needed to increase detection and treatment of psychiatric disorders among college students and their non–college-attending peers."

The study was sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and funded in part by the Intermural Program, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health and supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and by the New York State Psychiatric Institute.