Journal of American College Health最新文献

Objective: To determine the prevalence of period poverty in university students and if experiencing period poverty is associated with poor mental health outcomes.

Methods: Participants were n = 311 females assigned at birth attending a university in the northeast US. Seven items assessed period poverty. Participants were also screened for depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation. Logistic regression models assessed main effects after adjusting for gender, sexual orientation, race, age, ethnicity, disability status, and income.

Results: Overall, 18.3% experienced period poverty, with higher odds occurring in students identifying as trans-gender/nonconforming (OR[95%CI] = 3.34 [1.22,9.15]), LGB+ (OR[95%CI] = 1.94 [1.01,3.74]), and Black/African American (OR[95%CI] = 3.61 [1.30,10.0]). Period poverty was associated with higher odds of screening positive for depression (OR[95%CI] = 6.21 [2.45,15.7]), anxiety (OR[95%CI] = 4.01 [2.09,7.68]), and suicide ideation (OR[95%CI] = 2.85 [1.26,6.44]).

Conclusions: Period poverty is prevalent and is associated with adverse mental health outcomes in university students. Government agencies and universities should consider providing free period products to reduce health inequities.

Objective: Graduate students are at higher risk of mental illness, and support and belongingness during graduate school are linked to greater resiliency. This study compared perceived functional support and belongingness between underrepresented graduate students (e.g., non-heterosexual, non-White, non-American citizens, or those with chronic conditions) and majority group graduate students (e.g., heterosexual, White, American citizens, or those without chronic conditions). Participants: 734 graduate students from a large, Midwestern university. Methods: A survey assessed perceived functional support and belongingness, and differences between underrepresented and majority groups were analyzed. Results: Underrepresented students reported less support and feelings of belongingness compared to majority group students. Conclusion: Universities can enhance resiliency and reduce stress among underrepresented students by improving functional support and belongingness. Recommendations are provided.

Objective: Philip Morris International's Smoke-Free Future (SFF) campaign pledged to replace conventional cigarettes with smoke-free alternatives, promoting smokers' health and combating smoking-related misinformation.

Method: We interviewed 25 college students to assess their perceived credibility of SFF messages and interest in smoke-free products.

Results: Nearly half couldn't identify a tobacco company as the message source, speculating it came from public health entities. Many overlooked profit motives, instead seeing SFF as genuinely supportive of smoking cessation and being aligned with public health. About a third found the message credible, citing factors like lay narrators and language/images signifying science. Most expressed interest in smoke-free products, driven by curiosity and misunderstanding of their health implications.

Conclusion: Our study underscores concern that recent tobacco corporate communications may influence young people's interest in these products, even without explicit promotion, necessitating better education about industry tactics to disguise their identity with health and science initiatives, while undermining tobacco control efforts.

Objective: College students are mandated to have health insurance in many universities in the United States. All students must comprehend insurance concepts to maximize their benefits. This study compared the level of health insurance literacy and information access problems between international and domestic graduate students. Participants: Thirty graduate students (15 domestic and 15 international) in a major public university in the United States were interviewed. Method: Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews in person or via Zoom. Using thematic analysis, audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Results: Findings indicate that both groups possessed inadequate knowledge about health insurance with domestic students exhibiting a better understanding of deductibles, hospital networks, and co-pays. The major challenge encountered was a lack of clarity on the websites of their university's health insurance and other health insurance providers. Conclusions: Our results highlight the need for student-targeted educational interventions to improve their healthcare access.

Objective: Examining the association between mental health and traumatic stress from COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Participants: 402 international students studying at a large public university in north-eastern U.S.A. Methods: Online survey was conducted anonymously among the participants. Descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted. Results: The results indicated that the international students may experience traumatic stress from COVID-19 if their mental health is not cared well, and perceived stress and risk of being infected by COVID-19 mediates this relationship. Conclusions: Universities need to respond to potential traumatic stress among international students from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, especially for those with a vulnerable mental health status. For a future pandemic, perceived stress and risk for the infection can be managed to minimize the traumatic stress among international students.

Objective: The present work examined associations between undergraduate students' health regulatory focus and three outcomes of their healthcare interactions: affective responses to providers, intentions to adhere to recommendations, and satisfaction with providers. Participants: Study 1 included 522 undergraduates (M_age=19.97 years, SD_age=1.65; 66% female) recruited from a university research subject pool. Study 2 included 97 undergraduates (M_age=21.21 years, SD_age=3.89; 65% female) recruited from a health center. Methods: In Study 1, participants engaged in a hypothetical provider visit and completed a survey. In Study 2, participants completed a survey following their visit to a health center. Results: In both studies, linear regression revealed that health promotion focus related to more-positive affective responses to providers and satisfaction with providers. Health prevention focus was associated with more-negative affective responses to providers in Study 1, but not Study 2. Conclusion: Undergraduate students highest in trait health promotion focus may have better experiences with healthcare providers.

Objective. The transition to college is associated with rising rates of depressive symptoms and decreased well-being. It is critical to identify protective psychological factors for this period. One possible protective factor is psychological flexibility, or the ability to pursue self-identified values despite distressing thoughts and emotions. This study examined associations among psychological flexibility components and well-being outcomes in first semester college students. Participants: The sample consisted of 238 diverse first-semester college students recruited from five universities. Method: Using structural equation modeling, we examined associations among three components of psychological flexibility and two dimensions of well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms and sense of belonging at college). Results: All three psychological flexibility components were associated with less severe depressive symptoms, but only valued action was associated with higher sense of belonging. Conclusions: Results highlight psychological flexibility as a novel set of resilience factors with differential associations with key outcomes during the transition to college.

Objective:  To determine whether learning about growth mindset toward mental health (GMMH) influences college students' retention, GMMH and resilience beliefs, and participation in activities associated with mental health (AMH).

Participants:  258 first-year students at a small, private liberal arts college.

Methods:  A between-subjects design (students had or had not participated in a GMMH intervention) compared student retention, GMMH using Dwecks' Growth Mindset Scale, resilience via the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and participation in AMH.

Results:  Learning about GMMH impacted retention (p = .026), particularly among first-generation students (p = .031). Learning about GMMH improved first-year students' engagement in AMH (p = . 045), particularly among non-White and International students (p = .015).

Conclusions:  Learning about GMMH positively impacts vulnerable students' retention and engagement in AMH, even when self-reported beliefs in GMMH and resilience are not impacted. Tracking behavior provides an informative way to measure the potential success of GMMH interventions.

Objective: The primary purpose of this cross-sectional study was to understand food insecurity among athletes at one NCAA Division II university. Participants: Student-athletes at a medium-sized, rural university, aged 18 or older (n = 256). Methods: Participants completed a survey with: demographics, the 10-item USDA Adult Food Security Survey Model, and an open-ended question about student-athletes' major barriers to fueling well. Results: Most student-athletes (50.4%) were classified as food insecure and 28.5% of student-athletes met the criteria for very low food security. Chi-square analysis showed student-athletes receiving both CalFresh and financial aid and living off campus were more likely to experience food insecurity (p = 0.045 and p = 0.025, respectively). Time and money were reported as the most common barriers to eating well. Conclusion: Collegiate athletes are a high-risk population for food insecurity. Interventions, including increasing CalFresh usage among student-athletes may help mitigate this risk.

Background: Immigration impacted students face structural inequities that increase their risk to food insecurity and restrict their access to resources. Objective: To examine how food insecurity is related to mental health and academic outcomes among Latinx immigration impacted students. Method: This cross-sectional study utilized data with 1861 Latinx immigration impacted students; undocumented (n = 592), U.S. citizens with at least one undocumented parent (n = 634), and U.S. citizen students with lawfully present parents (n = 635). Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between food insecurity and mental health and academic achievement; and moderation analysis was used to examine differences by self/parental immigration status and access to food pantry on campus resources. Results: Food insecurity was prevalent among immigration impacted students (75-58%). Food insecurity was associated with higher levels of psychological distress, anxiety, and a decline in academic achievement. Self/parental immigration status and use of food pantry resources were not statistically significant moderators in the relationship between food insecurity and mental health outcomes or academic achievement. Conclusion: These findings point to the need for urgent long-term sustainable policy and practice changes to achieve justice for this vulnerable population.