Prevalence of mental disorders and personality traits among public health students: a cross-sectional study

Mental disorders are common among health students. Personality traits have been identified as potential predictors of mental health. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of mental disorders and examine their association with personality traits among students at the Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) to assess mental disorders and the Big Five Inventory Short Form (BFI-S) to evaluate personality traits. In this study, “mental disorders” refer to probable cases identified through the SRQ-20 screening tool, which does not provide a clinical diagnosis. Data were analyzed using multivariable Poisson regression models to ascertain the relationship between mental disorders and personality traits. Among the 427 students participating in the study, the prevalence of mental disorders was found to be 49.9%. Of those experiencing mental disorders, 39.9% reported mild disorder, 35.7% moderate disorder, and 24.4% severe disorder. Prominent personality traits among students included agreeableness, openness to experience, and conscientiousness. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that mental disorders were associated with neuroticism and extraversion. Specifically, high neuroticism was a strong predictor of mental disorders, while extraversion acted as a protective factor, helping to reduce mental disorders. Students with high neuroticism are at increased risk for mental disorders. Conversely, personality traits such as extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness contribute to lower risks of mental disorders. Effective intervention programs are needed to alleviate mental disorders among students.