Journal of American College Health最新文献

Objective: Explore the role of food security status (FSS), financial literacy attitude (FLA), and interactive nutrition literacy (INL) on diet quality of college-aged students.

Participants: Undergraduate and graduate students (N = 883) at one land-grant university.

Methods: A cross-sectional convenience sample completed an online survey investigating FSS, INL, FLA, short Healthy Eating Index (sHEI) score, and sHEI subscales.

Results: Positive correlation between INL and FLA (r = 0.26, p < 0.001), INL and sHEI (r = 0.35, p < 0.001), and FLA and sHEI (r = 0.12, p < 0.001). Negative correlation between FLA and FSS (r = -0.37, p < 0.001). INL strongly predicted the total sHEI-score (β = 0.27), and food insecurity negatively predicted FLA (β = -0.25).

Conclusions: This study provides evidence to support wellness interventions targeting financial and nutrition literacy in college students to improve their food security and diet quality, reducing the risk of future chronic disease development.

Objective: This study sought to better understand the relationship between alcohol use, living arrangement, and interactions with same-aged peers among college students after campus closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants: The analytic sample consisted of 861 students.

Methods: College students in a longitudinal study were invited to complete an additional survey in July 2020.

Results: Living with family after campus closure was associated with decreased odds of drinking. In-person interactions with peers who did not attend the same college was associated with greater odds of any alcohol use; texting with these peers was associated with greater average and maximum drinks.

Conclusions: After campus closure, living with family was protective against any alcohol use, whereas interacting with peers who did not attend the same college appeared more influential on drinking. Time away from college campus, including during socially restrictive periods, has implications for alcohol use and peer influence.

Objective: This study examines the relationship between diet quality, lifestyle factors, psychological flexibility, and resilience, with a focus on the potential mediating role of psychological flexibility. Participants: A total of 401 college student records were assessed, with approximately 58% identifying as female and a mean age of 19 years. Method: An anonymous online survey was distributed over social media platforms targeting U.S. colleges. The associations between the variables were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus software. Results: Eating breakfast five or more times per week (b = 0.12, 95% CI = [0.035, 0.229], B = 0.14), and consuming fast food three or fewer times per week (b = 0.09, 95% CI = [0.001, 0.196], B = 0.10) were associated with increased resilience through psychological flexibility processes. In contrast, female gender (b = -0.11, 95% CI = [-0.222, -0.023], B = -0.13) and getting fewer than 6 h of sleep at night (b = -0.10, 95% CI = [-0.342, -0.100], B = -0.24) were associated with lower resilience through psychological flexibility processes. Independent of psychological flexibility, consuming fish oil four or more times per week (b = 0.41, p = .017), exercising more than 20 min daily (B = 0.22, p = .032), alcohol consumption (B = 0.29, p = .003), and pursuing a higher degree (B = 0.15, p = .014) were directly associated with higher resilience, while marijuana use (B = -0.42, p < .001), was directly associated with lower resilience. Conclusion: There is a direct positive association between psychological flexibility and resilience, suggesting that psychological flexibility may be a predictor of higher resilience.

Objective: This study explored differences in mental health outcomes and help-seeking behaviors in college students at the intersection of sexual and gender minority (SGM) and neurodivergent identities. Participants: College students from a Midwestern University (N = 2,089). Method: Secondary analysis of the university's ACHA-NCHA data (Spring 2020 & Spring 2024) examining differences between SGM and neurodivergent intersectional sub-groups (i.e., SGM-neurodivergent, SGM-neurotypical, cishet-neurodivergent, and cishet-neurotypical) in prevalence rates of psychological distress, mental health diagnoses, suicidal ideation and behavior, self-harming, and help-seeking behaviors. Results: SGM-neurodivergent students reported 1) higher depression and past-year help-seeking than all other groups and 2) higher distress and self-harming than both cishet groups. SGM groups reported higher suicide risk and neurodivergent groups reported higher anxiety than the cishet-neurotypical group. Conclusion: Findings demonstrate common and unique mental health concerns of SGM and Neurodivergent intersectional sub-groups and emphasize the importance of providers considering intersectionality when addressing mental health outcomes.

Objective: Previous studies have indicated that problems with academic adjustment are common among university students. Little is known, however, about adjustment disorder (AjD) among students. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of AjD among help-seeking students, as well as the mediators between academic adjustment and AjD. Participants: A total of 313 students looking for help took part in this cross-sectional study. Methods: Participants completed questionnaires assessing symptoms of AjD, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, academic adjustment, cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance and mindfulness. Results: The prevalence of probable AjD was at the level of 60.7%. Experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion were significant predictors of AjD. These variables, as well as mindfulness, were also mediators between academic adjustment and AjD. Conclusions: The prevalence of AjD in the studied group of help-seeking students was relatively high. It is, therefore, important to develop therapeutic interventions to support students, that would target the mechanisms underlying vulnerability to AjD.

Objective: We examined current alcohol use and binge drinking among college students, by Veteran status. Participants: Students that completed the 2021-2022 Healthy Minds Study, with complete demographic, alcohol use, and mental health data (n = 78,446). Methods: Weighted logistic regression models examined the relationship between Veteran status and past two-week alcohol use; and among those currently using alcohol, whether Veteran status was associated with any binge drinking. Models controlled for age, gender, race and ethnicity, and mental health conditions. We replicated models within the Veteran sample. Results: Veteran status was not significantly associated with increased use of alcohol or binge drinking. Both within the full population and the Veteran sample who currently use alcohol, students aged 18-20 had the highest odds of engaging in past two-week binge drinking. Conclusions: College campuses should continue prevention and intervention planning for the high-risk group of underage students to reduce alcohol-related morbidity and consequences. Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University or the Department of Defense.

Objective: This study was intended to characterize transgender and/or nonbinary (TNB) college and university students' perceptions (e.g., perceived need, perceived barriers) and use of mental health care, including any differences relative to cisgender peers.

Participants and methods: Using cross-sectional, population-based survey data from U.S. undergraduate and graduate students (2015-2021), we compared TNB (n = 10,297) and cisgender (n = 426,827) students' perceptions and use of mental health services via demographic-adjusted generalized linear models.

Results: Over 77% of TNB students had moderate-to-severe depression/anxiety symptoms. TNB students were significantly more likely than cisgender students to have used psychotherapy (risk ratio [RR] = 2.12) and psychiatric medication (RR = 2.05) in the past year-and significantly more likely to perceive barriers to care, including appointment availability problems (RR = 2.67) and feeling misunderstood by providers (RR = 1.96).

Conclusion: Colleges and universities should take steps to facilitate equitable care for TNB students, including access to TNB-affirming clinicians on and off campus.

This case report describes a 19-year-old male college student without any major past medical history presenting with 3 days of dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Initial vital signs showed tachycardia and orthostatic hypotension with hyponatremia identified during work up. He was initially thought to have viral gastroenteritis and treated with intravenous fluids, but experienced continued dizziness and orthostatic hypotension as well as weight loss and a bronzed skin tone over the following few days. Based on deteriorating clinical status, he required hospitalization for medical stabilization, evaluation, and treatment. He was ultimately diagnosed with primary adrenal insufficiency caused by autoimmune adrenal insufficiency. He was discharged in stable condition to outpatient care (endocrinology and college health) on maintenance steroids, with instructions for stress dosing when indicated.

Psychological well-being is essential yet underexamined among college students. Guided by a psychosocial framework, this study explores how financial stress, loneliness, and perceived school mental health climate relate to psychological well-being. We analyzed data from the 2022-2023 Healthy Minds Study (N = 27,340; 135 U.S. institutions) using hierarchical regression. Loneliness had the strongest negative association with well-being (β = -0.43, p < 0.001), followed by positive associations with school mental health climate (β = 0.21, p < 0.001) and a weaker negative association with financial stress (β = -0.10, p < 0.001). Findings underscore the complex nature of student well-being and call for interventions that reduce loneliness, ease financial burdens, and enhance campus mental health climates.

Objective: This study compared giving kindness, receiving kindness, self-kindness, and resilience between gender diverse (GD) and cisgender youth, and investigated the correlation between kindness (giving, receiving, self) and resilience among GD youth specifically. Methods: A total of 488 youth (93% college/university students; n = 69 GD; n = 419 cisgender) completed a survey that included demographics and scales to measure giving kindness, receiving kindness, self-kindness, and resilience. Results: Results from chi-square tests of independence indicated an association between gender and self-kindness, and gender and resilience. Results from Pearson's correlation showed a positive correlation between resilience and self-kindness in GD youth. Conclusions: Given that GD youth were more likely to have moderate levels of self-kindness and low levels of resilience compared to cisgender youth and that self-kindness and resilience were positively correlated, researchers may wish to focus on providing GD youth with self-kindness resources which could, in turn, lead to increases in resilience.