Student health assessment data will inform public health efforts

A majority of college students -- including nearly 78% at Iowa State -- say the pandemic has increased their overall levels of stress, according to a national survey.

The National College Health Assessment (NCHA), which collects data about students' health habits, behaviors and perceptions, identified other mental health concerns and increasing levels of food insecurity. A random sample of 10,000 Iowa State students was invited to participate in the assessment last fall, and 1,035 students completed the survey.

Erin Baldwin, associate vice president for student health and wellness and director of Thielen Student Health Center, says mental health concerns are not unique to Iowa State and reflect trends at colleges and universities across the country.

Health and well-being are vital to student retention and success. That's why Baldwin and her team are conducting a comprehensive needs assessment to track student well-being and enhance support services on campus.

"The health and well-being of our campus community is a priority, which is why Iowa State participates in this national survey," Baldwin said. "These data, combined with direct feedback from student focus groups, will inform our public health efforts going forward."

To help students develop healthy habits and behaviors that enhance their well-being, Student Wellness offers programs and services focused on sleep, nutrition, sexual health, substance use prevention and other areas of health and wellness. In response to growing student needs, director Brian Vanderheyden says student wellness has:

• Worked in partnership with SHOP, the student-run food pantry, to expand space and food items available to students.
• Created a new program to support students with addiction.
• Partnered with admissions to offer violence-prevention training during orientation.
• Added mental health training opportunities for students, faculty and staff.

"We want to give students the tools to be successful in and out of the classroom. Our goal is to reach students and provide the support they need before they hit a point of crisis," Vanderheyden said.

Survey excerpt: Food insecurity

ISU students who experience low or very low food security*

* The USDA Food Security 6-item Short Scale generates a score between 0 and 6, which is collapsed into three categories: A score of 0-1 reflects high or marginal food security, 2-4 reflects low food security, and 5-6 reflects very low food security. Combining those in the low and very low food security categories reflects the portion of the sample with food insecurity.

Multifaceted approach to student health

Student health and wellness disaggregated Iowa State's NCHA data to examine disparities in health and well-being across student identities. This executive summary provides a breakdown of the data. LGBTQ+ students, students of color and students with disabilities reported higher rates or screened at greater risk for various health issues as compared to the total student sample.

Kristen Obbink, university public health coordinator, says recognizing these differences is critical to improving the health and well-being of everyone on campus.

"There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to student health and well-being. We believe it is critical to examine health disparities across student identities," Obbink said. "We know that to reduce barriers to achieving health for all students, we must continually look inward and address these disparities using a multifaceted, comprehensive approach."

Student health and wellness team plans to meet with student and employee groups to discuss the NCHA and campus needs assessment data. A revamped student advisory board will launch this fall to work directly with student health and wellness leadership to inform strategies and decisions.

Iowa State has participated in the national assessment since 2010. However, due to changes in the survey design, the results should not be compared to past years. The NCHA is a cross-sectional study specific to a single point in time. While the data are valuable, there are limitations with generalizing the data, which is why student health and wellness is collecting additional data as part of a campus needs assessment.

Survey excerpt: Seeking mental health services

Social norms are unwritten rules, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that are acceptable in a particular social group or culture. Survey participants responded to two statements about behavior related to seeking mental health help:

Statement: "I/typical ISU student would seek help from campus mental health resources for any emotional, psychological or interpersonal problem."

Statement: "I/typical ISU student would respect another student who sought help from campus mental health resources."