Mission
The CHB brings together a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Medical School, who are united in a public health approach to health and health behavior.
These Harvard researchers collaborate with a network of experts from other universities, government agencies, and other organizations to investigate the determinants of health among college students, evaluate programs, communicate scientific findings, and inform public policy agendas.
About the Study
The Study of College Health Behaviors (CHB) will survey a nationally representative sample of college students from across the United States. This survey expands on the success of the College Alcohol Study (CAS) to examine a broad range of health-related behaviors. The CHB will investigate health threats to young people in the vulnerable transition from adolescence to adulthood, whether these threats to health lie in personal history, personal conduct, or in the larger social, physical or policy environment. CHB will look at both risk behaviors and protective practices for a wide range of public health and medical concerns, including:
HEALTH AREA |
GENERAL SCOPE |
Alcohol Use |
Use patterns, problems, reaction to school policies |
Tobacco Use |
Use patterns, quitting intentions |
Illicit drug use |
Type of drugs used, extent of use, ease of access |
Stress |
Stress assessment scale |
Mental Health |
Depression assessment scale |
Sleep |
Weekday and weekend sleep patterns and problems |
Sexual health |
Sexual activity, condom use, sexual assault, abuse |
Physical activity and weight control |
Type and frequency of exercise, body image, eating patterns and disorders |
Sun protection behaviors |
Protective behaviors, tanning light use |
Motor vehicle safety |
Drinking and driving, fatigue, seatbelt use |
Health services use |
Health center use, reasons for use |
Our aim is to use the sampling frame of the CAS to gather high quality, nationally representative data that is relevant for school, local, state, and national levels, and to provide scientific analysis that will promote global understanding of the epidemiology of college health behaviors.
One in three young adults in the United States - or about 11 million students - attend college. During their years at college, young people typically acquire and solidify many of the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
We have developed the CHB because college plays such a powerful role in shaping lives and influencing health. By understanding what promotes or discourages health and healthy behaviors during this formative period, we have an opportunity to greatly improve the health of this population.
The CHB is an extramurally funded research group affiliated with the Department of Society, Human Development and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Core staff members engage in epidemiologic, economic, sociologic, policy, treatment, and evaluation research. CHB researchers also collaborate with investigators at other institutions.
QUICK FACTS
Survey Overview:
- Sample 750 of your students in Spring 2004
- Streamlined registration process with simple instructions for sample selection
- Assistance with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process at your college, including the opportunity to use the Harvard School of Public Health IRB Authorization Agreement to satisfy your IRB requirements
Survey Process:
- Convenient web-based survey format that takes students, on average, about 25 minutes to complete
- Students can partially complete the survey and return at a more convenient time to finish
- Confidential and anonymous
Results:
- The survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of the overall wellness of your student population, and the opportunity to compare your school to a national sample and to groups of similar schools
- Using the results you can enhance your health prevention and treatment efforts to best match the needs of your students
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