Psychological distress and mental health disparities over time between tertiary students and community peers living in Australia

Abstract Purpose: Tertiary students have been recognised as a high-risk population for psychological distress yet, in Australia, have been overlooked in population-level surveillance, health service provision and mental health policy. This study sought to explore trends in self-reported psychological distress and general mental health of tertiary students compared to their community peers in Australia from 2007 to 2022— a timeframe which spans the pre-, mid-, and immediate-post-COVID time periods. Methods: The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey was used as a basis for this study. Focusing on participants aged 18 to 35 from survey waves spanning 2007 to 2022 (average n = 4415 per year), participants were categorised into three groups: working only, tertiary students and working, and tertiary students only. Psychological distress and general mental health were measured using the Kessler-10 scale and the Mental Health Inventory-5, respectively. Weighted regression models compared outcomes between students and non-students. Results: Psychological distress and poor mental health have risen among young Australians, with the sharpest increase since 2019. Tertiary students, especially those studying only, showed significantly higher distress and poorer mental health than working peers. Although adjusting for covariates attenuated the associations, the higher distress levels in students persisted post-2019. Loneliness, long-term disabilities, and poor general health were correlates of poor mental health across all groups. Conclusions: Findings highlight the need for targeted care models for tertiary students, including enhanced campus mental health support and screening services, financial support, social connection programs, and digital health solutions.