Sharp Increase in Psychiatric Medication Among PhD Students
The use of psychiatric medication among PhD students in Sweden rises by 40% from the start of their studies until the fifth - and often final - year. This is revealed in a study who examined data from over 20,000 PhD students.
"Our study is crucial for understanding the severity of the mental health crisis among PhD students," says Sanna Bergvall, poostdoctoral researcher in Economics at the University of Gothenburg.
Sanna Bergvall, together with Eva Ranehill, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Gothenburg, conducted the study alongside Clara Fernström and Anna Sandberg, both from Stockholm University. The researchers used Swedish registry data, specifically from Statistics Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare, to analyze over 20,000 PhD students who began their studies between 2006 and 2017.
Decreases after the fifth year
The study shows that prospective PhD students use psychiatric medication for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders at the same rate as individuals with a master’s degree before starting their studies. However, once the PhD studies begin, medication use increases significantly, with a 40% rise by the fifth year compared to pre-study levels. After the fifth year, which aligns with the average length of PhD programs, a notable decrease in psychiatric medication use is observed.
"Our study confirms what previous surveys have suggested, but we take it a step further by using medical assessments rather than self-reported well-being and by including all PhD students in Sweden," says Eva Ranehill.
The increase suggests that the psychiatric medication use is driven by a direct negative impact of the PhD studies themselves, rather than a higher proportion of individuals already using psychotropic drugs choosing to pursue a PhD. The study also found that older PhD students, women, and those with a history of mental health issues are at higher risk of needing psychiatric medication during their studies.
"We don’t know exactly why PhD studies have this effect, but several factors may be at play, such as the isolation of the work, high pressure, and low control. After the studies, there’s often an uncertain job market with intense competition. We hope to investigate this further and understand the mechanisms behind the effect in future studies," says Sanna Bergvall.
Hope the study helps improve the working environment
The researchers hope the study provides a basis for decision-makers and academia to improve the working environment for both PhD students and early-career researchers.
"For academia, we hope our research leads to changes that promote mental health, and this development has already started in many ways. For society, beyond the costs of treatment and individual suffering, it’s perhaps important to reflect on how we organize academic research to make it as productive as possible, and how the current structure affects who enters academic research," says Eva Ranehill.
Text. Jessica Oscarsson
The study: The Impact of PhD Studies on Mental Health—A Longitudinal Population Study
