Estimating prevalence and exploring associations of mental health status with behavioral, psychological, and sociodemographic variables

Mental health conditions are the utmost global concern facing university students, particularly in Bangladesh. Poor mental health prevalence in terms of internet addiction (IA), perceived stress (PS), and life satisfaction (LS) remains unexamined among Bangladeshi university students. So, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of mental health status and its relationship with behavioral, psychological, and socio-demographic variables among university students in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study consisted of 1182 (M age = 21.21 ± 2.75; age ranged from 19 to 26) samples using the multistage random sampling technique from four public universities. The assessment utilized the Bangla-adapted version of the General Health Questionnaire, Internet Addiction Test, Perceived Stress Scale, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. The chi-square test was used to assess prevalence, and binary logistic regression was applied to identify significant determinants. The total prevalence of poor mental health was 49.49 %. The prevalence of poor mental health status (i) in terms of gender, male 40 % vs female 59 % (p < 0.01); (ii) in terms of internet addiction, addictive users vs non-addictive users were 58.4 % vs 17.5 % (p < 0.01); (iii) in terms of perceived stress, present vs absent were 57.7 % vs 24.7 % (p < 0.01); (iv) in terms of life satisfaction, not-satisfied students vs satisfied students 76.2 % vs 34.7 % (p < 0.01). Addictive internet users were 2.57 times more likely to have a poor mental health status (aOR = 2.57; 95 % CI: 1.621–4.072) than non-addictive internet users. Individuals who were not satisfied with life were 2.71 times more likely to have a poor mental health status as compared to satisfied individuals (aOR = 2.71; 95 % CI: 1.955–3.743). Reducing internet usage and managing perceived stress may enhance mental health. Consider the factors that increase life satisfaction among university students, as they significantly contribute to improving mental health. Additionally, authorities must implement strategies to address these factors and enhance the mental health of university students by utilizing available mental health services. • An increase in poor mental health status over time in Bangladesh. • The presence of internet addiction increases the poor mental health status. • Not being satisfied with life is linked to a higher prevalence of poor mental health status.