Research shows that money worries, debt and poverty have a negative impact on both physical and mental health. As a result of their financial situation, students who are struggling to make ends meet may experience symptoms such as stress, muscle tension, headache and sleep problems.

Money worries cause stress, which can lead to physical symptoms. Your GP can help you relieve these symptoms, but they can’t remove the cause of stress. If you’re very concerned about your financial situation, you should discuss your worries with your GP. Your GP can refer you to the Neighbourhood team (Buurtteam) in your area, where you can get support from professionals who specialise in helping people with money worries and debt. Their services are free of charge.

There has been an increase in awareness of the link between money worries and health. In 2021, the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (HU) launched a study aimed at improving early recognition of financial worries among students, both in primary care and elsewhere. Due to their accessibility, GPs, for example, could play an important role in detecting financial worries at an early stage.