Tenth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Approximately 10% of college students experience mental illness. Anxiety occurs in 41% of cases, depression in 36% of cases, and 24% of students report suicidal ideation within the past year in the United States. Approximately 50% of transgender students reported a mental health diagnosis. Academic performance, perceived well-being, and social health can be negatively impacted by mental disorders. Health education programming on college campuses can help students find resources and tools to cope with mental health. The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences in student interest in receiving health education information by mental health status among US college students. We hypothesize there will be a difference in interest in health education information based on mental health status. Health behavior data will be obtained from the 2018 National College Health Assessment II. Data include self-reported mental health status, mental health diagnosis, student interest in receiving health education information, and demographics. Data analysis includes descriptive statistics, correlation, and ANOVA using the mental health status and interest in health education topics (alcohol and tobacco, depression/anxiety, grief, injury prevention, etc.) variables. We will assess differences among subgroups based on year in school, whether they are transfer or international students, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Analyses will reveal any differences in interest in health education information based on mental health status. The results of this study can serve as evidence to support the need for increased planning for health education programs on college campuses to target students who have mental health conditions.