Examining Student Wellness for the Development of Campus-Based Wellness Programs

Abstract

Background: Despite the many campus-based wellness programs and services offered through entities such as student services, many U.S. students lack the strategies, skills, or support systems to manage stress or change pre-existing behaviors, resulting in unhealthy behaviors and poor overall wellness. Since patterns developed during this time can form a solid foundation for future health behaviors, there is a need to develop and design wellness programs that stimulate positive health-behavior change.Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess student wellness of college students at a four-year public university to inform campus-based health programs, events, and services.Methods: An anonymous, single-structured survey was administered at an on-campus event (N = 225). The instrument covered six dimensions of wellness: physical wellness, social wellness, intellectual wellness, emotional wellness, spiritual wellness, and environmental wellness.Results: Significant differences for gender were found in the dimensions of social wellness, emotional wellness, and physical wellness. Females reported higher levels of social and emotional wellness, while males reported higher levels of physical wellness. Differences in age for emotional wellness, and year of study for physical wellness were also found.Conclusions: Findings provide insight to direct interventions and programs that would enhance students' wellness knowledge and behaviors.

Utilization of student support services by undergraduate students in Nursing Education Institutions in South Africa

“…Furthermore, results showed differences in utilisation of support services based on gender, of those who attended extra tutorials, remedial and academic skills workshops, the majority were males, which supports previous findings that more male students engaged with staff for academic matters (Schreiber & Yu, 2016;Sontag-Padilla et al, 2016;Franzidis & Zinder, 2019). In examining factors of college students' use of mental health services, authors (Sontag-Padilla et al, 2016) found that psycho-social support, mentorship, and spiritual support were mostly attended by females.…”

“…In examining factors of college students' use of mental health services, authors (Sontag-Padilla et al, 2016) found that psycho-social support, mentorship, and spiritual support were mostly attended by females. However, literature reveals that female students at HEIs receive inadequate family and social support, instead they are giving such support (Lin 2016), due to their higher social and emotional wellness compared to their male counterparts (Alexia & Steven, 2019;Franzidis & Zinder, 2019).…”

Assessing Health-Promoting Lifestyles of Students in an Omani University Environment: Implications for a Campus-based Health and Wellness Program

“…In order to identify strategies that will create healthy campuses and highlight the significance of health promotion and wellness in universities and colleges, studies recommend assessing first the health promotion behaviors and wellness of the students (Franzidis & Zinder, 2019;Kim & Kim, 2018;LaFountaine et al, 2007). Exploring students' health-promoting behaviors is essential for creating well-designed health promotion interventions that will enhance college students' quality of life.…”