Mental Health and College Health
Whether you’re attending college or not, it’s important to be aware of health issues that could affect your life. In this article, you’ll find tips to keep yourself healthy on campus.
Mental health challenges on campus
Whether it’s depression, suicidal ideation, or substance abuse, college students are at risk for mental health challenges on campus. In order to address these issues, universities must understand their role in supporting students’ mental health. They must also provide the appropriate mix of mental health services.
Universities can also provide students with alternative mental health resources. For example, at Stanford, students are encouraged to get a therapist through Cardinal Care, a health care plan that covers medical expenses. However, due to state licensing laws, therapists are limited in where they can see patients.
The University of Iowa Athletic Department and the Iowa Student-Athlete Advisory Committee have worked together to offer resources to students who have suffered mental health challenges. Students are encouraged to wear green bandannas and carry cards listing local mental health resources.
These efforts are a response to the growing college mental health crisis. Colleges must be proactive and help students work through problems before they become crisis-level situations.
Universities are also being challenged by the current political climate. Universities must improve health literacy and campus health services, and administrators must work to overcome the stigma of mental illness.
Several universities are working to address mental health challenges on campus. For example, Carolina University is responding to the mental health crisis with a variety of initiatives. One such initiative is More Feet on the Ground, an online resource that will allow campus staff to recognize and support students with mental health issues.
Gracie Engelkes’ story
Gracie Engelkes’ story about college health is one of many that has been documented in the media. She is the daughter of Jonathan and Julie Engelkes, and a Health Science major. She has been hospitalized several times, and she is not the first to fall ill during a major outbreak.
She also wrote a column for her university’s student newspaper about her experience at Duke University. She said she will not visit the campus health center when she returns next month. She also said she would have been more impressed by the college’s medical innovations if she had been told about them by her doctor.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a slew of colleges has lobbied for more protections in the form of lawsuits from coronavirus lawsuits. They have also pushed to lockdown campus clinics in order to keep the virus from spreading inside. They have also pushed for longer hours at student health centers, and for more telemedicine appointments to replace drop-ins.
The most important thing to note is that many college students are ill-prepared for this new reality. Many of them are living on their own for the first time, and they have little experience navigating the healthcare system.
Student health insurance plans
Traditionally, school-sponsored health insurance plans tended to have low benefit maximums and limited coverage. However, the ACA introduced new consumer protections for student health plans.
Among them, the ACA introduced a rule that required school-sponsored plans to have an actuarial value (AV) of at least 60. Among other things, this rule ensured small group plans. It also ensured that students could renew coverage when their school retained it.
During the legislative review process, the ACA also introduced a few new avenues for students to obtain health insurance. One such avenue is Medicaid, which expands health coverage to students who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Students can also enroll in Medicaid if they qualify for expanded Medicaid in their state.
Among other things, the ACA included a rule that capped the maximum annual cost of essential health benefits in student plans. This rule was the first of its kind and is designed to prevent premium hikes on student plans. Several issuers cited concerns that allowing students to keep coverage beyond a year would lead to dramatic premium hikes. Nonetheless, eight issuers and a consumer group endorsed the rule.
Despite this, some schools still argue that their student health insurance is not designed to provide comprehensive coverage. This is not always true. Having health insurance is important, but uncovered medical expenses can be catastrophic.
Female college students are three times more likely to be a victim than non-students
Among students ages 18 to 24, women are victims of sexual assault and rape at a much higher rate than men. However, there has been a significant decline in this victimization rate for women over the past few decades.
The National Crime Victimization Survey tracks the crimes and victimization of adults in the United States. It uses in-person interviews and telephone interviews to obtain data. Using this data, the Bureau of Justice Statistics has conducted surveys to find out the rates of sexual assault and rape. The surveys are conducted every four years.
The National Crime Victimization Survey has found that sexual assault and rape rates among college students have been dropping for the past two decades. However, these rates have not dropped to the same degree for non-students. Non-students are twice as likely to be sexually assaulted as students are.
In addition to being more likely to be sexually assaulted, non-students are more likely to be raped. Eighty percent of college women don’t report assaults to the police. However, fourteen percent of non-students reported assaults to another official.
Another study by Sinozich and Langton found that the rates of sexual assault and rape are much higher for non-students than for students. They used 18 years of National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data to find out the rates of sexual assault and nonconsensual sexual contact.
Survey results
Several years ago, the University of California system began administering the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) survey. This national research survey is designed to collect data on health behaviors, perceptions, and attitudes of college students. It can be used to evaluate programming efforts and allocate resources based on specific needs. It is also used to open a dialogue on health with students. This information is then shared with campus partners, community members, and health service providers.
The National College Health Assessment Survey is administered by the American College Health Association (ACHA). This organization provides an assessment tool to help universities collect accurate data about their students’ health habits, attitudes, and perceptions. The survey is also used to create social norms for marketing campaigns and secure grant funding.
The survey will be conducted by the NCHA, which will draw a sample of 5,000 FSU undergraduate students. The survey will take about 30-40 minutes to complete and will include a series of questions on health topics, attitudes, and behaviors.
After the survey is completed, participants will automatically be entered into a drawing for a total incentive budget of $1,000. They will also be eligible to win ten (10) $100 Visa gift cards.
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Health A-Z. (2022, April 26). Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/health-a-z-4014770
Harvard Health. (2015, November 17). Health A to Z. https://www.health.harvard.edu/health-a-to-z
Health Conditions A-Z Sitemap. (n.d.). EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/conditions/
