Health Center Use
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Patricia McGaughey
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 11:15 AM
End Date
26-4-2024 12:15 PM
Description
Background: Mental health disorders are often first-diagnosed in adolescence. Already the second leading cause of death for adolescents, rising suicide rates show an urgent need for adequate healthcare. University campuses are an opportune site of care yet, little is known about students’ healthcare use. We describe student healthcare use and identify factors associated with receiving inadequate care. Methods: Student research assistants administered a questionnaire to public college students in Fall 2023. We analyzed univariate and bivariate statistics and conducted multivariable logistic regression to predict the odds of receiving inadequate student healthcare. Results: Of the 459 students who completed the survey 44 % (n = 202) received inadequate healthcare. Nearly 16% of students reported feeling depressed half of the time or more and 8% of students reported that they had forced or unwanted sexual encounters. Multivariable logistic regression showed that compared to students with private insurance, those with student insurance were 3.3 times (p < 0.05; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.2-9.1) more likely to have inadequate health care, controlling for gender, feeling depressed and a history of forced sex. Notably, students currently feeling depressed half or more of the time had 5 times the odds of inadequate care (p< 0.001; 95% CI 2.7-9.1). Conclusion: University students are not receiving adequate healthcare. The results show a significant need for trauma informed care, mental health services and preventive measures for sexual violence on campus. Further research to better understand how healthcare services should be delivered for student uptake is warranted.
Health Center Use
Background: Mental health disorders are often first-diagnosed in adolescence. Already the second leading cause of death for adolescents, rising suicide rates show an urgent need for adequate healthcare. University campuses are an opportune site of care yet, little is known about students’ healthcare use. We describe student healthcare use and identify factors associated with receiving inadequate care. Methods: Student research assistants administered a questionnaire to public college students in Fall 2023. We analyzed univariate and bivariate statistics and conducted multivariable logistic regression to predict the odds of receiving inadequate student healthcare. Results: Of the 459 students who completed the survey 44 % (n = 202) received inadequate healthcare. Nearly 16% of students reported feeling depressed half of the time or more and 8% of students reported that they had forced or unwanted sexual encounters. Multivariable logistic regression showed that compared to students with private insurance, those with student insurance were 3.3 times (p < 0.05; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.2-9.1) more likely to have inadequate health care, controlling for gender, feeling depressed and a history of forced sex. Notably, students currently feeling depressed half or more of the time had 5 times the odds of inadequate care (p< 0.001; 95% CI 2.7-9.1). Conclusion: University students are not receiving adequate healthcare. The results show a significant need for trauma informed care, mental health services and preventive measures for sexual violence on campus. Further research to better understand how healthcare services should be delivered for student uptake is warranted.