This study examines the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on anxiety and depression symptoms among college students, paying special attention to gender-related differences. To do that, we use data from a special survey applied to all students from one of Mexico’s largest universities six months after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey was applied online through the university’s IT platform, obtaining a response rate of 48.2% and a final sample of 66,067 students. We follow an empirical strategy commonly found in the literature that involves the use of a Negative Binomial Regression Model on two mental health scales: the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the Zung Depression Scale. The loss of household income and the resulting necessity to participate in the labor market, as well as the lack of sufficient infrastructure to face confinement and online study, were identified as the two main pathways via which the Covid-19 pandemic harmed the mental health of college students. Although female students presented higher rates of anxiety and depression and were more affected by the vulnerable economic and labor conditions of their families, male students were more affected by the lack of availability of space and equipment to attend online classes at home. Since the most economically disadvantaged students experience higher rates of anxiety and depression, particularly among women, this could have medium and long-term effects in terms of economic and gender inequality. These findings highlight the need for specific prevention and intervention initiatives to alleviate anxiety and depression.

本研究探讨了 Covid-19 大流行对大学生焦虑和抑郁症状的影响，特别关注与性别相关的差异。为此，我们使用了一项特别调查的数据，该调查适用于 Covid-19 大流行开始六个月后墨西哥最大大学之一的所有学生。该调查通过大学IT平台在线进行，响应率为48.2%，最终样本为66,067名学生。我们遵循文献中常见的实证策略，涉及在两个心理健康量表上使用负二项回归模型：汉密尔顿焦虑量表和 Zung 抑郁量表。家庭收入的损失以及由此导致的参与劳动力市场的必要性，以及缺乏足够的基础设施来面对限制和在线学习，被认为是 Covid-19 大流行损害人们心理健康的两个主要途径。大学生。虽然女学生的焦虑和抑郁比例较高，并且更容易受到家庭脆弱的经济和劳动条件的影响，但男学生更容易受到缺乏在家上网课的空间和设备的影响。由于经济上处于不利地位的学生（尤其是女性学生）的焦虑和抑郁发生率较高，这可能会对经济和性别不平等产生中长期影响。这些发现强调需要采取具体的预防和干预措施来减轻焦虑和抑郁。