Study launched to understand impact of pandemic on students’ well-being

The Trimbos-Institute along with health services GGD and RIVM are teaming up with 15 higher education institutions to study the mental health and substance use of students, the ANP reports.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture commissioned the study in order to determine how the pandemic has impacted students’ behavior and mental well-being. will carry out the research.

The goal is to survey roughly a third of all students enrolled in higher education. That would mean reaching out to around 250 thousand students.

Questions in the survey will revolve around not only the student’s mental well-being but also their alcohol and other drug consumption. Researchers are also interested in how students spend their free time, their financial situation, and their study progress.

Trimbos expects to publish the results in November.

A range of small-scale studies sparked the initiative to tackle the issue on a national level. Despite some programs already in place to help students with their mental health, there are no representative figures to build on for creating a national policy.