USC American College Health Association- National College Health Assessment Report: Graduate Students

Transcription

1 USC American College Health Association- National College Health Assessment Report: Graduate Students 2011 Office for Wellness and Health Promotion University Park Health Center A Division of Student Affairs University of Southern California

2 Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Trends Summary 4 Introduction 5 Methods 5 Questionnaire design 5 Procedure 5 Response rate 5 Representativeness 5 Analytic strategy/data preparation 6 Report Design 6 Demographics 7 Health, Wellness, and Academic Success 8 Frequency of Students Whose Academic Performance was Impeded 8 Frequency vs. Threat to Academic Success ( Students 9 Frequency vs. Threat to Academic Success ( Students 10 Emotional Status 11 Traumatic or Difficult to Handle 11 Level of Stress 12 Daytime Sleepiness 12 Verbal Threats 13 Emotionally Abusive Relationships 13 General Health, Healthcare, and Medical Status 14 General Health 14 Disabilities Status 14 Medical Status: Physical 15 Medical Status: Mental 16 Depression History 16 Sexual Behavior and Contraception 17 Used a Method of Birth Control 17 Emergency Contraception 17 Number of Sexual Partners 17 Contraceptive/Birth Control Methods 18 Condom Use 18 Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs 19 Blood Alcohol Level 19 Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol 19 Consequences of Drinking Alcohol 20 Protective Drinking Behaviors 20 Substance Use v. Perceptions of Use 21 Alcohol Consumption v. Perceptions of Alcohol Consumption 22 Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight 23 Fruit and Vegetable Intake 23 Weight 23 Body Mass Index (BMI 24 Weight Loss 24 Additional Questions 25 Usage of Campus Facilities 25 Internet Usage 27 Limitations 28 Conclusion 28 References 29 Acknowledgments 29 Appendix A 30 Appendix B 32 2

3 Executive Summary In Spring 2011, the Office for Wellness and Health Promotion conducted the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II) on the University Park Campus (UPC). The resulting data provided valuable insights about the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of USC-UPC graduate students regarding the following topics: emotional and medical status, sexual behaviors, substance use, nutrition, and exercise. The following report includes a number of key findings: Health, Wellness, and Academic Success Frequency of Students whose Academic Performance was Impeded Different factors negatively affected domestic and international graduate students with the top three impediments for domestic students being stress (22.1), work (18.1), and anxiety (17.7) and the top three impediments for international students being internet use/computer games (13.8), stress (11.8), and depression (10.5). Emotional Status Majority of students reported feeling overwhelmed by all they had to do in the last 12 months (86.9 of domestic students and 66.7 of international students). Similarly, 85.7 of domestic students and 67.3 of international students reported feeling exhausted (not from physical activity) in the last 12 months. Traumatic or Difficult to Handle Situation Both domestic and international students reported academics and career related issues to be two of their top three traumatic or difficult to handle situations. Finances were more traumatic for domestic students with 37.9 reporting as compared to 11.1 of international students (p<.001). Level of Stress of domestic students reported their overall level of stress experienced in the last 12 months as more than average or tremendous compared with 40.5 of international students (<.001). Healthcare, Medical, and Emotional Status General Health 95.4 of domestic and 92.8 of international students described their general health as being excellent, very good, or good. Sexual Behavior and Contraception Number of Sexual Partners of domestic students and 89.4 of international students reported having no more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months (p<.001). Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Consequences of Drinking Alcohol As a consequence of drinking, 26.5 of domestic students and 23.2 of international students who consumed alcohol within the last 12 months also reported that they did something they later regretted (p>.05). Alcohol Consumption- During the last time they partied, 19.0 of domestic students reported not drinking compared to 46.7 of international students. Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight Calculated Body Mass Index 59.9 of domestic students had a calculated BMI indicating a healthy weight, compared to 66.2 of international students. 3

4 Trends Summary In previous reports, the ACHA-NCHA Trends Summary was included to reflect noticeable variations between the report from previous years and the current report. The revised survey, the ACHA-NCHA II, includes the same categories as the previous survey, but has a number of modified and added questions. As a result, the ACHA-NCHA II is not appropriate for examining trends from the original ACHA-NCHA survey, except for specific isolated questions. 4

5 Introduction A college health program is the constellation of services, strategies, policies, and facilities an institution of higher education assembles to advance the health of its students and the academic community. On many campuses, college health programs move well beyond health care and refer to a variety of services. These services often include a combination of some or all of the following: student health services, disability services, counseling services, crisis intervention and public safety services, health promotion and wellness services, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug programming, student health insurance/benefit programs, sexual assault advocacy services, sports medicine services for intercollegiate athletics, and intramural recreation sports and fitness programs. In order to provide high quality services in these diverse areas, it is imperative to possess data that adequately describes the health behaviors and status of the student population. This data helps to inform policy makers, administrators, faculty, staff, and students about current health behaviors and helps determine programmatic priorities. The National College Health Assessment II (NCHA II) is a national research initiative coordinated by the American College Health Association (ACHA), to assist institutions of higher education in collecting data about the health and wellness of their students. The ACHA-NCHA II allows each campus to generate prevalence rates for alcohol use, drug use, sexual behavior, safety, exercise, nutrition, and mental health. The goal of this assessment is to provide data on the prevalence, status, and misperceptions about student behavior and the campus community. This data can serve as a guide to campus leadership by providing a firm basis for planning and evaluating services that will positively impact graduate students safety, well-being, and academic success. This report provides data on the population of graduate students at the University Park Campus and highlights differences in the domestic and international graduate student populations. There is an aggregate report which is compiled by ACHA. While the sample is large, it is not a true national sample, as it is not representative of the vast diversity of neither the institutions nor the students enrolled therein. To view the report, please visit This report summarizes key points from the survey. Due to the length of the survey, not all data points have been included. For more information about the analysis of additional questions, please contact Office for Wellness and Health Promotion at the University Park Health Center at (213) or by visiting For a sample of the instrument used, please follow this link: Methods Questionnaire design: In 2008, ACHA introduced a new version of ACHA-NCHA questionnaire (ACHA-NCHA II). The ACHA-NCHA II questionnaire consists of sixty-five questions divided into eight sections: health; health education and safety; alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; sex behavior and contraception; weight, nutrition, and exercise; mental health; physical health; impediments to academic performance; and demographic characteristics. Procedure: The survey was conducted at the University of Southern California in Spring The ACHA-NCHA II was ed to a sample of 2,000 graduate students at the University Park Campus. Due to unsuccessful delivery and bounced messages 1,971 graduate students received an alerting them to the forthcoming survey, as well as two follow-up s after receiving the survey in an effort to increase the return rate. To incentivize completing the survey, every 10th participant received an itunes gift card and two $500 Visa gift cards were drawn by lottery. Response rate: In 2011, completed surveys were returned for a 28.0 response rate. Representativeness: It appears the data collected accurately represents the USC University Park Campus graduate student sample based upon the representativeness analysis performed on the Spring 2011 data. Though the sample was robust, biases exist in the data. The largest bias occurred with regard to gender; there was an overrepresentation of female students, with 52.7 returning the survey compared with 44.3 in the sample. There was also an overrepresentation of doctoral students with 23.2 responding to the survey compared to 20.1 in the sample. Correspondingly, we see an underrepresentation of master s students by 1.0 and professional students by 2.1. Several other differences exist in terms of ethnicity and owning unit. (Please refer to Appendix B for the representativeness table). 5

6 Analytic strategy/data preparation: This report focuses on the surveys that were conducted in Spring Appropriate chi-squared tests or t-tests of statistical significance have been performed to determine the magnitude and direction of differences between domestic and international graduate students. T-tests were performed on nominal data (responses to some scaled questions) and chi-squared tests were performed on categorical data (i.e. responses of yes/no, did/did not, etc). Throughout the report, p-values are reported in the charts or at the bottom of graphs. Report Design: While many of the questions from the previous version of the survey are still present, new questions regarding special health concerns for graduate students on the University Park Campus are included at the end of this report. Please refer to Appendix A for more information. Throughout the report, there are footnotes under each table or bar chart that refer to the corresponding question in the survey instrument. If you have any additional questions regarding the data provided in this report, please contact Paula Swinford, Director of the Office for Wellness and Health Promotion at or <swinford@usc.edu>. 6

7 Demographics Descriptor Category n=334 n=140 Age and higher Gender Female Male Transgender Year in school Graduate Full-time student status Transferred to USC within last 12 months Ethnicity White not Hispanic (includes Middle Eastern) Black not Hispanic Hispanic or Latino Asian or Pacific Islander American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Native Hawaiian Biracial or Multiracial Other student status Membership in fraternity or sorority Relationship status Not in a relationship In a relationship but not living together In a relationship and living together Marital status Single Married/Partnered Separated Divorced Other Sexual orientation Heterosexual Gay/Lesbian Bisexual Unsure Living situation Campus residence hall Fraternity or sorority house Other campus housing Parent/guardian s home Off-campus housing Other Source of health insurance USC sponsored plan Parents plan Another plan I don t have health insurance Paid hours worked per week None to or more Volunteered 1 or more hours per week Organized college athletics participation Varsity Club sports Intramurals All results are reported as percentages. The discrepancy between the total number of participants reported on p.5 of this booklet and the total number of participants reported in this table exists because those participants who did not complete all questions on the Demographics section of the survey were excluded from this demographic analysis. 7

8 Health, Wellness, and Academic Success Frequency List Health-Related Behavior or Concern of Students whose Academic Performance was Impeded - Refer to Question 45 of the survey. Within the last 12 months, have any of the following affected your academic performance? (i.e., significant disruption in thesis, dissertation, research, or practicum work; received an incomplete or dropped a course; received a lower grade in a course, on an exam or on an important project) P-Value Stress Work Anxiety Sleep difficulties Internet use/computer games <.001 Depression >.05 Cold/Flu/Sore throat >.05 Concern for a troubled friend or family member >.05 Relationships difficulties >.05 Homesickness <.001 Finances Bold items represent the top ten items. In previous years, only a frequency list, as seen above, was reported. What follows is a cluster analyses, created by making a two dimensional graph representing a set of bivariate data (scatter plot) of those who reported experiencing a particular condition (frequency) crossed with those who reported the condition who experienced an academic impact (threat). This scatter plot displays health related issues that are of low threat/low frequency, low threat/high frequency, high threat/low frequency, and high threat/high frequency. Legend for pages 9-10: Scatter Plots - Threat to Academic Success as Related to the Frequency of Health-Related Behavior or Concerns 8

9 70 Scatter Plot- Threat to Academic Success as Related to the Frequency of Health Related Behavior or Concern ( Students) Threat: Percent of Those Experiencing Condition with Academic Impact Assault (sexual) Learning disability Other Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Chronic health problem or serious illness Allergies Depression Relationship difficulties Alcohol use Anxiety Sleep difficulties Concern for a troubled friend or family member Pregnancy (yours or your partner s) Cold/Flu/Sore throat Finances Sinus infection/ear Drug use infection/bronchitis/strep throat Internet use/computer games Discrimination Death of a friend or family member Roommate difficulties (STD/I) Chronic pain Injury (fracture, sprain, strain, cut) Participation in extracurricular activities Eating disorder/problem Homesickness Work Stress 0 Gambling Frequency: Percent in Population Experiencing Condition 9

10 Scatter Plot- Threat to Academic Success as Related to the Frequency of Health Related Behavior or Concern ( Students) 80 Threat: Percent of Those Experiencing Condition with Academic Impact Other Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Pregnancy (yours or your partner s) Discrimination Depression Death of a friend or family member Relationship difficulties Injury (fracture, sprain, strain, cut) Concern for a troubled friend or family Gambling Homesickness member 20 Learning disability Participation in extracurricular activities Eating disorder/problem Sleep difficulties Assault (physical) Finances Cold/Flu/Sore throat Roommate difficulties Sinus infection/ear infection/bronchitis/strep throat Chronic health problem or serious illness Allergies 10 Chronic pain 0 Work Anxiety Internet use/computer games STD/I Assault (sexual) Alcohol use Drug use Frequency: Percent in Population Experiencing Condition Stress 10

11 Emotional Status - Refer to Question 30 of the survey. Have you ever? Bold items represent statistical significance D= I= Yes, in the last 12 months No, not in last 12 months No, never P-Value D I D I D I Felt things were hopeless Felt overwhelmed by all you had to do <.001 Felt exhausted (not from physical activity) <.001 Felt very lonely Felt very sad >.05 Felt so depressed that it was difficult to function Felt overwhelming anxiety Felt overwhelming anger >.05 Intentionally injured yourself >.05 Seriously considered suicide Attempted suicide >.05 Traumatic or Difficult to Handle - Refer to Question 33 of the survey. Within the last 12 months, have any of the following been traumatic or very difficult for you to handle? P-Value Academics >.05 Career-related issue >.05 Death of a family member or friend >.05 Family problems Finances <.001 Health problem of a family member or partner <.001 Intimate relationships >.05 Personal appearance Personal health issue >.05 Sleep difficulties >.05 Other relationships >.05 Other >.05 Bold items represent the top 5 items. 11

12 Level of Stress Refer to Question 37 of the survey. Within the last 12 months, how would you rate the overall level of stress you have experienced? Percentage No stress 4.4 Less than average stress Average stress Level of Stress (p<.001) More than average stress 5.2 Tremendous stress Daytime Sleepiness - Refer to Question 43 and 44 of the survey. People sometimes feel sleepy during the daytime. In the past 7 days, how much of a problem have you had with sleepiness (feeling sleepy, struggling to stay awake) during your daytime activities? Percentage Not at all A little More than a little Big Very big Problem level of daytime sleepness (p>.05) 12

13 In the past 7 days, how often have you felt tired, dragged out, or sleepy during the day? Percentage Number of days (p=.002) Verbal Threats 11.1 of students surveyed (12.5 of domestic students and 7.8 of international students) responded yes to Within the last 12 months were you verbally threatened? (p>.05) Refer to Question 5 of the survey. Emotionally Abusive Relationship 6.9 of students surveyed (7.3 of domestic students and 5.9 of international students) responded yes to Within the last 12 months, have you been in an intimate relationship that was emotionally abusive? (p>.05) Refer to Question 6 of the survey. 13

14 General Health, Healthcare, and Medical Status General Health - Refer to Question 1 of the survey. How would you describe your general health? Percentage Excellent Very good Good Fair Poor General health Disabilities Status - Refer to Question 65 of the survey. Do you have any of the following disabilities or medical conditions? P-Value Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Chronic illness >.05 Deaf/Hard of hearing >.05 Learning disability >.05 Mobility/Dexterity disability >.05 Partially sighted/blind Psychiatric condition Speech or language disorder Other disability >.05 14

15 Medical Status: Physical - Refer to Question 41 of the survey. Within the last 12 months, have you been diagnosed or treated by a professional for? P-Value Allergies >.05 Asthma >.05 Back pain Broken bone/fracture/sprain >.05 Bronchitis >.05 Chlamydia >.05 Diabetes >.05 Ear infection >.05 Endometriosis >.05 Genital herpes >.05 Genital warts/human Papillomavirus (HPV) >.05 Gonorrhea >.05 Hepatitis B or C >.05 High blood pressure >.05 High cholesterol >.05 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) >.05 Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) >.05 Migraine headache >.05 Mononucleosis >.05 Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) >.05 Repetitive stress injury >.05 Sinus infection >.05 Strep throat >.05 Tuberculosis >.05 Urinary tract infection >.05 15

16 Medical Status: Mental - Refer to Question 31 of the survey. Within the last 12 months, have you been diagnosed or treated by a professional for? Treated with medication, psychotherapy, or other treatments Diagnosed but not treated D I D I P-Value Anorexia >.05 Anxiety Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) >.05 Bipolar Disorder >.05 Bulimia >.05 Depression >.05 Insomnia >.05 Other sleep disorder >.05 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) >.05 Panic attacks >.05 Phobia >.05 Schizophrenia >.05 Substance abuse or addiction >.05 Other addiction (e.g. internet, sexual) >.05 Other mental health condition >.05 D= I= Depression History 16.1 of students surveyed (18.5 of domestic students and 10.1 of international students) responded yes to Have you ever been diagnosed with depression? (p=.019) Refer to Question 32 of the survey. 16

17 Sexual Behavior and Contraception Used a Method of Birth Control 65.5 of domestic students and 41.6 of international students reported using a method of birth control the last time they had vaginal intercourse (p<.001). Refer to Question 23 of the survey. Emergency Contraception Among respondents who indicated that had vaginal intercourse in the last 12 months, 10.6 of domestic students and 12.9 of international students have used or had a partner who used emergency contraception ( morning after pill ) within the last 12 months. Refer to Question 24 of the survey. Number of Sexual Partners - Refer to Question 19 of the survey. Within the last 12 months, with how many partners have you had oral sex, vaginal intercourse, or anal intercourse? Percentage or more Number of partners There was a statistically significant difference between domestic and international graduate students on the number of sexual partners within the last 12 months (p<.001). 17

18 Contraceptive/Birth Control Methods - Refer to Question 23B of the survey. Please indicate whether or not you or your partner used each of the following methods of birth control to prevent pregnancy the last time you had vaginal intercourse? P-Value Birth control pills (monthly or extended cycle) Birth control shots >.05 Birth control implants Birth control patch >.05 Condom (male) Condom (female) Contraceptive sponge Diaphragm or cervical cap Fertility awareness (e.g. calendar, mucous, basal body temperature) >.05 Intrauterine device (IUD) >.05 Spermicide (e.g., foam, jelly, cream) >.05 Sterilization (e.g., hysterectomy, tubes tied, or vasectomy) >.05 Vaginal ring Withdrawal >.05 Other method >.05 Percentages represent students who used a method of birth control to prevent pregnancy the last time they had vaginal intercourse. Columns sum to more than 100 because multiple responses were possible. Bold items represent the top 3 items. Condom Use - Refer to Question 21 and Question 22 of the survey. Within the last 30 days, how often did you or your partner(s) use a condom or other protective barrier (e.g., male condom, female condom, dam, glove) during? Engaged in this sexual activity Always used a condom Engaged in this sexual activity Always used a condom Oral sex Vaginal intercourse Anal intercourse

19 Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Blood Alcohol Level Refer to Question 10 and Question 50 of the survey. Mean Median or higher or higher The formula for estimating BAC is applied to the reported number of drinks and number of hours for the last time students "partied"/socialized, weight, as well as estimates for total body water weight (58 for males and 49 for females) and the average rate of alcohol metabolism (a decline of.017 per hour). The formula does not control for food consumption and assumes that the alcohol was consumed at a constant rate over the drinking episode. Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol- Refer to Question 14 of the survey. Within the last 30 days, did you drive after having 5 or more drinks? Percentage Don't drive Don't drink No Yes 19

20 Consequences of Drinking Alcohol Refer to Question 16 of the survey. Within the last 12 months, have you experienced any of the following as a consequence of your drinking? Yes Responses, excludes Non-drinkers P-Value Did something you later regretted >.05 Forgot where you were or what you did >.05 Got in trouble with the police >.05 Had sex with someone without giving your consent >.05 Had sex with someone without getting their consent Had unprotected sex >.05 Physically injured yourself >.05 Physically injured another person >.05 Seriously considered suicide >.05 Since multiple responses were possible, more than 100 may be indicated. Protective Drinking Behaviors - Refer to Question 15 of the survey. During the last 12 months, when you partied /socialized, [did you always]? P-Value Alternate non-alcoholic with alcoholic beverages >.05 Avoid drinking games Choose not to drink alcohol >.05 Determine, in advance, not to exceed a set number of drinks >.05 Eat before and/or during drinking <.001 Have a friend let you know when you have had enough Keep track of how many drinks you were having >.05 Pace your drinks to 1 or fewer per hour >.05 Stay with the same group of friends the entire time you were drinking >.05 Stick with only one kind of alcohol when drinking Use a designated driver <.001 Since multiple responses were possible, more than 100 may be indicated. Students responded to a 5-point Likert scale that ranged from Never to Always. Chi-square tests were performed on all the responses; only the "Always" responses of students who partied /socialized are presented in the table for simplicity, however the p-values represent the range from Never to Always, not just Always. 20

21 Substance Use v. Perceptions of Use - Refer to Question 8 and Question 9 of the survey, respectively. Within the last 30 days among DOMESTIC students (): Actual Use: How many days did you use the following substances? Perception of Use: How often do you think the typical student at your school used? Substance Never Not in last 30 days One or more days Used daily Never Not in last 30 days One or more days Used daily Cigarettes Hookah Cigars, little cigars, clove Smokeless tobacco Alcohol Marijuana Cocaine Methamphetamine Other amphetamines Sedatives Hallucinogens Anabolic steroids Opiates Inhalants MDMA (Ecstasy) Other club drugs Other Illegal drugs All results are reported as percentages. Within the last 30 days among INTERNATIONAL students (): Actual Use: How many days did you use the following substances? Perception of Use: How often do you think the typical student at your school used? Substance Never Not in last 30 days One or more days Used daily Never Not in last 30 days One or more days Used daily Cigarettes Hookah Cigars, little cigars, clove Smokeless tobacco Alcohol Marijuana Cocaine Methamphetamine Other amphetamines Sedatives Hallucinogens Anabolic steroids Opiates Inhalants MDMA (Ecstasy) Other club drugs Other Illegal drugs All results are reported as percentages. There is a statistically significant difference between domestic and international students regarding usage of cigarettes (p<.001); hookah (p=.009); cigars, little cigars, and clove cigarettes (p<.001); alcohol (p<.001); marijuana (p<.001); cocaine (p=.001); methamphetamine (p=.003); other amphetamines (p=.014); sedatives (p=.002); hallucinogens (p<.001); MDMA (p<.001); and other illegal drugs (p=.045). There is a statistically significant difference between domestic and international students on the perception of usage of cigarettes (p<.001); hookah (p<.001); cigars, little cigars, and clove cigarettes (p<.001); smokeless tobacco (p=.016); alcohol (p<.001); marijuana (p<.001); cocaine (p<.001); methamphetamine (p<.001); other amphetamines (p<.001); sedatives (p<.001); hallucinogens (p<.001); steroids (p<.001); opiates (p=.008); inhalants (p=.005); MDMA (p<.001); other club drugs (p<.001); and other illegal drugs (p=.045). 21

22 Alcohol Consumption v. Perceptions of Alcohol Consumption - Refer to Question 10 and Question 12 of the survey, respectively. The last time you partied /socialized, how many drinks of alcohol did you have? Students Percentage Actual Perceived to 4 5 to 7 8 or more Number of drinks Students Percentage Actual Perceived to 4 5 to 7 8 or more Number of drinks 22

23 Fruit and Vegetable Intake - Refer to Question 28 of the survey. Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight How many servings of fruits and vegetables do you usually have per day? Percentage or more Servings per day Weight Refer to Question 26 of the survey. How do you describe your weight? Percentage Very underweight Slightly underweight Right weight Slightly overweight Very overweight Self described weight 23

24 Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculated using Questions 47, 49a, 49b, and 50 of the survey. BMI <18.5 Underweight Healthy Weight Overweight Class I Obesity Class II Obesity Class III Obesity Mean BMI Median BMI Standard Deviation This figure incorporates reported height, and weight to form a general indicator of physical health. Categories defined by The World Health Organization (WHO) 2000, reprinted Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. WHO Tech Report Series: 894. Weight Loss 53.9 of domestic students and 44.1 of international students reported that they are trying to lose weight (p>.05). Refer to Question 27 of the survey. 24

25 Additional Questions This section of the report highlights important findings in the data from additional questions that were created specifically for this questionnaire, in an effort to better understand the experience of graduate students at the University Park Campus. Please refer to Appendix A for the full list of additional questions. Usage of Campus Facilities - Refer to Question of the survey. Within the last 12 months, have you been seen by a medical healthcare professional (e.g. Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Nurse)? Not seen in last 12 months Seen at campus Student Health Center Seen at other facility Seen at both Student Health Center and other facility 25

26 Within the last 12 months, have you been seen by a mental healthcare professional (e.g. Counselor, Psychologist, Social Worker, Psychiatrist)?" Not seen in last 12 months 6 Seen at campus Counseling Services Seen at other facility Seen at both Counseling Services and other facility Within the last 12 months, have you been to a fitness facility to exercise? Not been to a fitness facility Been to campus Lyon Center Been to other fitness facility Been to both Lyon Center and other facility 26

27 Internet Usage - Refer to Questions 68 through 71 and Question 72 of the survey, respectively. 45 How many hours in a typical day do you spend using the Internet on a computer for < > Social Networks Watching TV, movies, etc. Other Actvities How many hours in a typical day do you spend using your Smartphone/handheld device (devices that can access the internet) for < >10 N/A 0 Social Networks Watching TV, movies, etc. Other activities N/A includes those individuals that report not owning a Smartphone 27

28 Limitations Surveys are only useful to the extent that they reflect the opinions of the student population. While we have documented the sample representativeness of the graduate students on the USC University Park Campus in terms of demographics and college major, the degree of representativeness in terms of health-related attitudes and opinions is unknown. The survey results do correlate to similar studies completed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Monitoring the Future, and the American College Health Association. When a survey includes questions on sensitive subjects such as drug use and sexuality, there is always the possibility that a response bias has influenced the results. However, the literature shows that an anonymous health behavior survey, such as the ACHA-NCHA, gives the respondent an opportunity to share more accurate information than may otherwise be provided. In general, the best way to minimize the chances of a response bias is to achieve a high response rate. The response rate of approximately twenty-eight percent achieved in these surveys is in alignment with the steady downward trend of response rates over the past few years. As such, the response rate is not of sufficient size to ensure representativeness on all important factors. Therefore, until further research is done, the results described in this report should be regarded as preliminary research data. Conclusion Over half (52.9) of the USC student population is comprised of graduate students, with 19,516 enrolled in the Fall 2010 semester. With that being said, it is important and necessary to tailor resources and services to meet the specific needs of the graduate student population. By choosing to survey the graduate students in the 2011 NCHA survey, the Office for Wellness and Health Promotion seeks to illuminate their health related attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions. The majority of graduate students surveyed reported experiencing more than average or tremendous levels of stress, feeling overwhelmed by all they have to do, and feeling exhausted (not from physical activity) in the last 12 months. and international graduate students alike reported academics and career related issues to be two of the top three traumatic or difficult to handle situations, and domestic graduate students also reported finances as a major concern. Stress, work, and anxiety were listed as the top three impediments for academic success among domestic students, and among international students, internet use/computer games, stress, and depression were reported. By understanding the challenges and concerns of graduate students, we are better able to meet their needs and make earning a graduate degree a more enjoyable learning experience. 28

29 References ACHA-NCHA website: Office for Wellness and Health Promotion website: Student Counseling Services website: Student Medical Services website: Healthy Trojans website: If you have any questions about this document and/or the data presented please call or Acknowledgments This report would not have been possible without the contributions, dedication, and patience of the following individuals: Michael Jackson, Vice President of Student Affairs Larry Neinstein, Executive Director, University Park Health Center Paula Swinford, Director, Office for Wellness and Health Promotion Lauren Perez, Intern, Office for Wellness and Health Promotion Judy Trieu, Intern, Office for Wellness and Health Promotion Katherine Verrochi, Health Educator, Office for Wellness and Health Promotion Ali Fahmy, Director, Student Outcomes Research Ray Gonzalez, Senior Director, Research and Reporting A special thanks to the entire Office for Wellness and Health Promotion staff, including the Peer Health Educators (PHEs), for their continued support and feedback. And finally, thank you to all the students who sent in completed surveys; your efforts help us to serve you better. 29

30 Appendix A Additional Questions 1. Within the last 12 months, have you been seen by a medical healthcare professional (e.g. Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Nurse)? Please choose one response. a. I have not been seen by a medical healthcare professional in the last 12 months. b. I have been seen by a medical healthcare professional at the campus Student Health Center. c. I have been seen by a medical healthcare professional at a healthcare facility other than at the campus Student Health Center. d. Both B and C 2. Within the last 12 months, have you been seen by a mental healthcare professional (e.g. Counselor, Psychologist, Social Worker, Psychiatrist)? Please choose one response. a. I have not been seen by a mental healthcare professional in the last 12 months. b. I have been seen by a mental healthcare professional at the campus Counseling Services. c. I have been seen by a mental healthcare professional at a counseling facility other than at the campus Counseling Services. d. Both B and C. 3. Within the last 12 months, have you been to a fitness facility to exercise? Please choose one response. a. I have not been to a fitness facility to exercise in the last 12 months. b. I have been to the campus Lyon Center fitness facility to exercise. c. I have been to a fitness facility to exercise other than the campus Lyon Center. d. Both B and C. 4. Are you of Hispanic or Latino descent? a. Yes b. No 5. What is your racial background? (select one or more of the following) a. White b. Black or African American c. Asian d. American Indian or Alaska Native e. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 6. How many hours in a typical day do you spend using the Internet on a computer for social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Xiaonei, etc)? Please choose one response. a. 0 b. <1 c. 1-2 d. 3-5 e f. >10 7. How many hours in a typical day do you spend using the Internet on a computer for watching TV, movies, video clips, etc? Please choose one response. a. 0 b. <1 c. 1-2 d. 3-5 e f. >10 8. How many hours in a typical day do you spend using the Internet on a computer for other activities not listed above (i.e. gaming, gambling, shopping, reading news, blogging etc)? Please choose one response. a. 0 b. <1 c. 1-2 d. 3-5 e f. >10 30

31 9. How many hours in a typical day do you spend using your Smartphone/handheld device (devices that can access Internet) for social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Xiaonei, etc)? Please choose one response. a. I do not have a Smartphone/handheld device. b. 0 c. <1 d. 1-2 e. 3-5 f g. > How many hours in a typical day do you spend using your Smartphone/handheld device (devices that can access Internet) for watching TV, movies, video clips, etc? Please choose one response. a. I do not have a Smartphone/handheld device. b. 0 c. <1 d. 1-2 e. 3-5 f g. > How many hours in a typical day do you spend using your Smartphone/handheld device (devices that can access Internet) for other activities not listed above (i.e. playing games, gambling, shopping, reading news, blogging etc)? Please choose one response. a. I do not have a Smartphone/handheld device. b. 0 c. <1 d. 1-2 e. 3-5 f g. >10 31

32 Appendix B Representativeness of the 2011 Sample DESCRIPTOR Sample Respondents Difference Class Doctoral Masters Professional Gender Female Male Ethnicity Asian American Black Hispanic Native American Pacific Islander White or more races Unknown OWNING UNIT ACCT ANSC ARCH BUS CNTV DENT EDUC ENGR FA GERO LASH LASN LASO LASS LAW MUS PPD SOWK THTR