BACKGROUNDThe first year of attending university induces a stressful experience for many college students. The experience exposes these students to challenging circumstances and raises expectations, which consequently increases the risk of psychiatric disorders and may exacerbate pre-existing problems. This study was designed to explore the risk factors of psychological symptoms among freshmen in China.

METHODSA three-year follow-up study was designed in a sample of Chinese college freshmen. To set up the baseline interviews, subjects from 25 high schools in Beijing were interviewed during the first year in high school. Three years later, we followed up with the 1547 students from 15 of the previously-selected 25 high schools after they had entered universities. Association between potential risk factors and the occurrence of psychological symptoms measured by the Symptoms Check List-90 was evaluated in unconditional logistic regression models with Wald test.

RESULTSAmong the 1547 interviewed college freshmen in the study, 120 students (7.8%) manifested at least one psychological symptom. Personality dysfunction (OR = 3.655, 95% CI 1.967-6.793), parental rejection (OR = 2.619, 95% CI 1.544-4.442), age ≥ 20 (OR = 2.578, 95% CI 1.227-5.418), disfavored university (OR = 2.054, 95% CI 1.376-3.066), non-first-choice academic major (OR = 1.887, 95% CI 1.255-2.837) and no orientation (OR = 1.739, 95% CI 1.025-2.951) were determined to be the risk factors of psychological symptoms among the college freshmen in China.

CONCLUSIONSPsychological symptoms of college freshmen are associated with personality traits, parental rearing behavior and study environment. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to changes in mental health as students enter or decide on colleges and increase education geared towards mental health issues for students in high school and universities in China.

Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Students ; psychology ; Universities ; statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo understand the allocation of instruments and equipment in major research institutions for occupational health and medicine in China.

METHODSQuestionnaire was designed for collecting the information of the equipment used in occupational health and medicine research. Questionnaires were distributed to 78 research agencies to investigate the situation of allocation of instrument and equipment.

RESULTSThere was a great diversity of allocation in investigated agencies. The features in three kinds of agencies are different. The occupational health agencies in universities fit out the biological equipment in laboratories. The occupational health laboratories in CDCs were equipped with the chemical analytical devices. The institutes of occupational medicine were equipped with the clinical inspection instruments.

CONCLUSIONThe protocol of sharing resource and predominance complementation should be established among research institutions for occupational health and medicine in the same region or neighboring provinces.

Equipment and Supplies ; supply & distribution ; Occupational Medicine ; instrumentation ; statistics & numerical data ; Organizations ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

OBJECTIVETo investigate the oral health knowledge and habits of freshmen of Sichuan University and promote the prophylactic therapy of dental diseases in the university.

METHODSThe table and the standard on oral health survey authorized by WHO were employed in this study.

RESULTSOnly 13.1% of all the investigated freshmen had periodic oral health examination. 74.4% brush teeth twice per day, only 7.7% brush teeth over 3 minutes, 16.6% insist in fluoridated toothpaste, and only 6% had applied dental floss. 51.9% do not often take snack food and 94.7% are non-smokers; (4) Tests of prophylactic therapy of dental caries and periodontal diseases and oral health knowledge have poor results.

CONCLUSIONThe freshmen have limited knowledge of oral health and lack serious attitude toward oral cleaning behaviors.

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Oral Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Oral Hygiene ; statistics & numerical data ; Students ; Universities

OBJECTIVETo study the epidemiological characteristics of the TCM syndromes of chronic prostatitis (CP) among the male college students in the city of Guangzhou.

METHODSA total of 1 682 male college students were recruited from four colleges in Guangzhou City. The TCM syndromes of the CP patients (n = 561) were grouped according to age, major, residence area, native place, economic condition, interpersonal relation and academic record of the students. And the distribution and incidence rates of the syndromes were statistically analyzed.

RESULTSAmong all the identified syndrome types, the single syndrome accounted for 32.98%; the damp-heat, the blood stasis, the liver- and kidney-yin deficiency and the kidney-yang deficiency syndrome constituted 63.28%, 47.59%, 39.39% and 33.69%, respectively. The incidence rates of blood stasis and liver- and kidney-yin deficiency were significantly different in different age groups (P < 0.01). The medical major group had a higher rate of blood stasis than the non-medical groups (P < 0.01). The rates of damp-heat syndrome and liver- and kidney-yin deficiency syndrome were obviously higher in the northern group than in the southerners (P <0.01 & P < 0.05), and were significantly different between the groups from different native places (P < 0.01) as well as between those of different economic conditions (P < 0.01). Among the groups of different interpersonal relations, significant difference was observed in the rate of liver- and kidney-yin deficiency syndrome (P < 0.01) but not in the rates of other syndromes.

CONCLUSIONThe college students with CP in Guangzhou City mostly have compound TCM syndromes consisting of simple radical ones. The incidence rates of the four main syndrome types, damp-heat, blood stasis, liver- and kidney-yin deficiency and kidney-yang deficiency, are related with the age, major, residence area, native place, economic condition and interpersonal relation of the students.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Prostatitis ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Students ; statistics & numerical data ; Syndrome ; Universities

OBJECTIVETo understand the prevalence and risk factors for suicidal ideation among college students and to provide a scientific basis for promoting psychological health and suicide prevention.

METHODS623 college students at Central South University were selected using stratified cluster sampling and administered a suicide ideation questionnaire, a Symptom Check List (SCL-90), an Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List (ASLEC), a Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and a questionnaire about background information. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors for suicide ideation.

RESULTSOne year prior to our investigation, 14.6% of respondents had suicide ideation, 2.5% had made a specific suicide plan, and 1.8% had made a suicide attempt. The main risk factors for suicide ideation were dissatisfaction with the selected major of study, limited social support, recent negative life events and depressive tendency.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of suicide ideation among these college students was high. Appropriate measures focusing on the risk factors identified in this study should be urgently developed to prevent suicides in college students.

China ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Students ; psychology ; Suicide, Attempted ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of childhood physical and emotional abuse on psychological health in undergraduate students.

METHODSA questionnaire investigation (Bernstein, revised) on childhood abuse history was performed in 1 200 undergraduate students in Xi'an. Their psychological states were assessed by Symptom Check List-90.

RESULTSSix hundred and sixty-eight students (55.7%) had physical and emotional abuse experiences, including humiliation, corporal punishment, beating or activity confinement, before 16 years old. Twenty-one percent of the 1 200 students experienced beating, even serious beating with equipment. The students who experienced serious physical and emotional abuse during childhood were more prone to the development of somatization symptoms, obsession, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety and paranoia than those students without abuse experiences.

CONCLUSIONSChildhood physical and emotional abuse is common in China and this may adversely affect the psychological health of undergraduate students who have experienced it.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child Abuse ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mental Health ; Retrospective Studies ; Students ; psychology ; Universities

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence status and the influential factors for smokers of undergraduates in Huaihua. METHODS: The undergraduates from different grades and different professions in Huaihua were selected randomly and investigated using a self-developed questionnaire. The influential factors for smokers of students were analyzed using a Chi-square test and a logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 1 050 undergraduates were surveyed in our study. Among them, 973 were valid. The rate for students with a habit of smoking was 21.17%. 53.7% of smokers began to smoke at the stage of primary and high schools. The main reason for smoking was due to curious (47.1%) or depressive (45.2%). The male students were more likely to smoke than female students (OR=6.730). The attitudes of parents on smoking, such as no intervention, were important risk factors that affect the children's behavior on smoking (OR=1.866). CONCLUSION The periods in primary and high school are the most possible time for student to begin smoking. The curiosity and depression are the most risk factors, and the gender and family education are also the important factors that affect the behavior of undergraduates on smoking.
China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; Students ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

OBJECTIVETo understand the immune level of the purified protein derivative (PPD) and the present conditions of the tuberculosis among the collegians.

METHODSStandardized tuberculin testing with PPD 5 IU, social-demographic and epidemiological feature of tuberculosis were conducted in 105,239 freshmen from 33 universities in Beijing.

RESULTSThe scar rates of freshmen were 72.21%. The rates coming from cities were higher than those from countries. The scar rates were near equal for freshmen in different ages. However the rates were different evidently with the region where the students come from. The scar rates of freshmen from cities were 75.84%. The scar rates of the freshmen from countries were 62.78%. Tuberculosis infection rate of the freshmen was 51.99% and the strong positive rate was 14.63%. Tuberculosis positive rate of city students was obviously higher than that of rural ones. Tuberculosis positive rate of city students was 55.17% and the strong positive rate was 15.37%. Tuberculosis positive rate of rural students was 44.69% and the strong positive rate was 12.70%. There appeared great difference between them. Moreover, Tuberculosis infection rate was varied with age and region. The tuberculosis positive rate of students from north-east areas was the highest (72.10%, 7,746/10,744), and those come from the middle-north areas were the lowest (41.50%, 6,560/15,808). The tuberculosis positive rate (62.49%, 47,489/75,992) of the freshmen with the scar was higher than that of those without the scar (24.72%, 7,230/29,247). The tuberculosis positive rate of the freshmen having a touch with the tuberculosis cases (60.75%) was higher than those having not (51.96%).

CONCLUSIONAs students in universities are susceptible population of tuberculosis, it should be emphasized to find out tuberculosis in university and to treat them early for the purpose of preventing the episode and explosion of the disease.

Adolescent ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Rural Population ; Students ; statistics & numerical data ; Tuberculin Test ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; epidemiology ; Universities ; statistics & numerical data ; Urban Population ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the influencing factors of smoking behavior transition at different stage of smoking among undergraduate students.

METHODS8138 undergraduate students from grade 1 to 3 were selected using cluster sampling method from an university in Guangzhou with their smoking behaviors and relevant factors studied through a self-administered questionnaire. Beginners, un-regular smokers and regular smokers were defined as "case group", while non-smokers, beginners and un-regular smokers were defined as "control group" accordingly. Three multivariable logistic regressions were separately conducted to explore the influencing factors of behavioral transition at different stage of smoking.

RESULTSOf the 8138 students investigated, the prevalence rates of beginners, un-regular smokers and regular smokers were 19.6%, 2.0% and 1.1%, respectively; while all of the above said three rates increased with grades of the students. Some students might still try to smoke or become regular smoker in the university. In male undergraduate students, determinants for the transition from non-smokers to s mokers were: source of students, father' s educational level, smoking-related knowledge and belief, and smoking habit of the roommates. Risks that influencing the transition from beginners to un-regular smokers were: being non-medical students,smoking-related belief, roommates and classmates who were smokers and transition from un-regular smokers to regular smokers would include father' s educational level and average income of family. In female undergraduate students,influencing factors from non-smokers to beginners were mother's educational level, smoking-related belief, and roommates smokers, while father's educational level, roommates and classmates' smoking habits were significant associated with beginners' change to un-regular smokers.

CONCLUSIONThe influencing factors related to the transition of different stage on smoking would be different in undergraduate students,and some specific measures should be taken based on the different stage of smoking.

Age Distribution ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Income ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; Universities ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVETo study the risk factors and abusers' characteristics on childhood sexual abuses among female students to provide reference data for preventive measures on child sexual abuse.

METHODSAnnonymous questionnaire survey of 701 adult female students in a college about their personal experience on childhood sexual abuses, their home conditions and abusers' characteristics.

RESULTSA total number of 701 female students were surveyed. 115 (22.11%) experienced non-physical contact sexual abuses before the age of 18, including 26 (3.71%) who suffered from attempted and 8 (1.14%) were forced with genital or anal sexual intercourse. 117 (16.69%) said they had suffered from sexual abuse before the age of 16. Most abusers were males (99.4%) and only a small percentage of them (3.2%) used violence. Most non-physical contact sexual abuses were from strangers (78.7%), while 71.3% of physical contact abuses were from acquaintances including 12.5% of them were teachers, 17.5% were neighbors and 21.3% were relatives. The risk factors of child sexual abuses were: frequent use of violence, bad hobbies and poor health conditions of parents, tight family relationships, and living in remarried families. Having well-educated fathers was a preventive factor.

CONCLUSIONStudies on childhood sexual abuses among females revealed that the incidents were not rare, and family environment played an important role.

Adult ; Child ; Child Abuse, Sexual ; statistics & numerical data ; China ; Family Relations ; Female ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Students ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities