Mental “distress is a substantial disorder of emotional processes, thoughts, or cognition that impairs judgment, behaviour, or ability to cope with the ordinary demands of life (1). According to the World Health Organisation, mental distress is a huge public health issue affecting society as a whole which involves mental problems such as depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms such as back ache, fatigue, sleeping problems, and headache (1, 2). Studies have constantly revealed that students have higher levels of mental distress than the general population (1, 2, 3, 4). A study among students in Tanzania and Australia reported significantly higher levels of mental distress than the general” population (4, 5).
Studies across “the globe including in Asian and sub-Saharan Africa countries have reported higher prevalence of mental distress among university students (3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). A study in Saudi Arabia reported 71.9% and in Tanzania 70% [11, 12] mental levels” among students.
There is “a dearth of knowledge on mental distress in South African Universities. However, the proportions of mental distress among students in other countries, and in other studies are high, which may also be true among students in South Africa. Knowledge from this study is key to promoting mental health and well-being among” students (11, 13).
Studies “indicate that students with higher levels of mental distress are prone to experience negative consequences such as significant impaired cognitive functioning (15), poor academic performance (16), learning disabilities (17), and substance abuse linked to risk behaviours (8, 14, 18), higher risk of depression (19), and anxiety disorders (8, 20). The findings above suggest that mental distress amplifies the risk of other” mental health issues.
Previous “studies indicate that mental distress among students has been associated with female students reporting higher levels compared to males, lack of interest towards the field of study, not having close friends, examinations, financial woes, disagreements with friends, family history of mental illness, lack of time to rest, use of drugs such as cannabis, limited social support, tight schedules, and lack of extracurricular activities” on campuses (1, 5, 10, 11).
South Africa, “as other low-and middle-income countries is facing numerous challenges in meeting mental health needs, being among one of the least spotlighted areas. This is evident in the shortage of trained personnel in mental health, lack of specific treatment, misplacement of human resource for mental health, problematic insurance coverage for mental disorders, and stigma attached to mental health problems (15). These challenges have potential to worsen mental health issues especially among students. Therefore, the aim of the study was to ascertain the prevalence and predictors of mental distress among students” at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa.
Though “reports in South Africa indicate that more than one-third of the students are affected by mental distress at least once during their university life, the issue of mental health has been one of the most lacking health programmes in higher education institutions. For example, higher education institutions lack mental health facilities and trained human resources (9–12). To generate intervention policies and strategies and control mental distress among students, first, it is important to comprehend the extent and predictors of mental distress among students, a sure way of helping practitioners and policymakers” in South Africa.