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The Impact of PhD Studies on Mental Health—A Longitudinal Population Study

Bergvall, Sanna ; Fernström, Clara ; Ranehill, Eva LU and Sandberg, Anna (2024) In Working papers
Abstract
Recent self-reported and cross-sectional survey evidence documents high levels of mental health problems among PhD students. We study the impact of PhD studies on mental health care uptake using Swedish administrative records of prescriptions for psychiatric medication for the full population of PhD students. First, we provide descriptive evidence that PhD students collect psychiatric medication at a higher rate than a matched sample of individuals holding a master’s degree, but at a lower rate than a matched sample from the general population. Second, we implement an event study analysis and document that, in the years preceding their PhD studies, prospective students collect psychiatric medication at a rate similar to that of a matched... (More)
Recent self-reported and cross-sectional survey evidence documents high levels of mental health problems among PhD students. We study the impact of PhD studies on mental health care uptake using Swedish administrative records of prescriptions for psychiatric medication for the full population of PhD students. First, we provide descriptive evidence that PhD students collect psychiatric medication at a higher rate than a matched sample of individuals holding a master’s degree, but at a lower rate than a matched sample from the general population. Second, we implement an event study analysis and document that, in the years preceding their PhD studies, prospective students collect psychiatric medication at a rate similar to that of a matched sample of individuals holding a master’s degree. However, following the start of PhD studies, the use of psychiatric medication among PhD students increases substantially. This upward trend continues throughout the course of PhD studies, with estimates showing a 40 percent increase by the fifth year compared to pre-PhD levels. After the fifth year, which represents the average duration of PhD studies in our sample, we observe a notable decrease in the utilization of psychiatric medication. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Mental health, PhD studies, psychiatric medication, I10, I23
in
Working papers
issue
2024:5
pages
38 pages
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ee1820e5-fe0f-43e2-a2f0-4e9d8923442c
date added to LUP
2024-09-05 15:15:08
date last changed
2024-09-05 15:29:55
@misc{ee1820e5-fe0f-43e2-a2f0-4e9d8923442c,
  abstract     = {{Recent self-reported and cross-sectional survey evidence documents high levels of mental health problems among PhD students. We study the impact of PhD studies on mental health care uptake using Swedish administrative records of prescriptions for psychiatric medication for the full population of PhD students. First, we provide descriptive evidence that PhD students collect psychiatric medication at a higher rate than a matched sample of individuals holding a master’s degree, but at a lower rate than a matched sample from the general population. Second, we implement an event study analysis and document that, in the years preceding their PhD studies, prospective students collect psychiatric medication at a rate similar to that of a matched sample of individuals holding a master’s degree. However, following the start of PhD studies, the use of psychiatric medication among PhD students increases substantially. This upward trend continues throughout the course of PhD studies, with estimates showing a 40 percent increase by the fifth year compared to pre-PhD levels. After the fifth year, which represents the average duration of PhD studies in our sample, we observe a notable decrease in the utilization of psychiatric medication.}},
  author       = {{Bergvall, Sanna and Fernström, Clara and Ranehill, Eva and Sandberg, Anna}},
  keywords     = {{Mental health; PhD studies; psychiatric medication; I10; I23}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Working Paper}},
  number       = {{2024:5}},
  series       = {{Working papers}},
  title        = {{The Impact of PhD Studies on Mental Health—A Longitudinal Population Study}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/194583123/WP24_5.pdf}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}