RISK FACTORS AND CONSEQUENCES OF ANXIETY DISORDER IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Introduction: Anxiety is characterized by an emotion that directly interferes with daily life and can be defined as fear and worry about something that might happen. Given the susceptibility to developing anxiety disorders, the target audience most likely to develop this disorder is college students, as they face a new challenge to find a promising future in their professional careers. Thus, they experience excessive fear and worry, which ultimately leads to this disorder. Objective: To analyze the main risk factors and consequences of anxiety disorders in college students. Methodology: This integrative literature review was conducted using keywords registered in health sciences descriptors (Decs), aligned with the guiding question: What are the main risk factors and consequences of anxiety disorders in college students? The review was conducted based on articles found in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and Virtual Health Library (VHL). The inclusion criteria were articles published in the last five years, available in Portuguese, and free of charge. Duplicate articles, theses, and monographs were excluded. Results: indicate that university students had a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, with a greater impact on women and individuals in socially vulnerable situations. Factors such as switching to remote learning, academic pressure, family isolation, inadequate lifestyle, and workload contributed to these disorders. National data indicate that approximately 71.96% of students suffer from anxiety and depression, and approximately 22.54% reported suicidal thoughts, highlighting the need for institutional interventions and psychological support programs. Conclusion: Anxiety among university students is a multifactorial problem, intensified by factors such as the pandemic, social vulnerability, inadequate lifestyle, and academic overload. Groups such as women and individuals without adequate support are at higher risk of anxiety and depressive disorders, reinforcing the need for institutional policies and psychological support.