The Healthy College Student

Studies on the impact of health behaviors on morbidity often focuson the limited impact of a single behavior or a limited group of behaviors. In thisstudy, we examine college student behaviors and investigate the link of these behaviorswith a 2-week illness profile. Through self-reported surveys, we measure acute illnessand a general illness burden, a cumulative measure of major and minor ailments. Weexplore how daily routines correlate with these illness measures. Eighty-four studentsfrom a random sample of 90 students attending a small liberal arts school completed thesurvey for a response rate of 93%. Living arrangements, exercise, sleep patterns, eatingpreferences and habits, and “social” behaviors were all significantly associated withillness burden. Students living in “singles” and those who got regular exercise and anaverage of 7 hr of sleep per night reported less illness. Most interesting is the effectof social behaviors. Students who greet others with a handshake reported higher illnessrates, as did students who share food and/or drinks. While we can conceptualize whythese behaviors would lead to a greater illness burden, students who engaged morefrequently in these behaviors also reported being “happier.” In trying to reduce illnessamong college students, we might suggest less handshaking and food and beverage sharing,but these actions are ways in which college students express and maintain friendships.College administrators are challenged to discover ways to reduce illness whilemaintaining the positive aspects of local student culture. This study begins to exploresome ways to balance health and camaraderie