Health Impacts of Negative Academic Behaviors

1. Health Impacts of Negative Academic Behaviors • Matty Lehman, MSS LSW • Tamarah Smith-Dyer, MS • University of Pennsylvania • Office of Health Education 1

2. Presenters • Matty Lehman, MSS LSW • Associate Director, Office of Health Education • University of Pennsylvania • Tamarah Smith-Dyer, MS • Data Analyst, Office of Health Education • University of Pennsylvania 2

3. Agenda • Office of Health Education, University of Pennsylvania • Definitions • NCHA background • NCHA academic impacts findings • PHWS background • NCHA academic impacts findings 3

4. Office of Health Education • Staff • Susan Villari, MPH – Director • Matty Lehman, MSS – Assoc Director • Tamarah Smith-Dyer – Data Analyst • Steve McCann – Wellness Coordinator • Programs • Stress Reduction • Smoking Cessation • Peer Health • Sexual Health Programming

5. NCHA- Background • ACHA’s National College Health Assessment • Comprehensive assessment including: • Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use • Sexual health • Weight, nutrition, and exercise • Mental health • Personal safety and violence • Academic Impacts 5 National College Health Association (2008).Retrieved May 18, 2009, from http://www.acha-ncha.org/partic_history.html

6. NCHA- Background • Reference Group- Spring 2006 • 117 institutions, n=94,806 students • 95% 4-year institutions • 83% post-baccalaureate degrees • 49% urban • 22% suburban • 32% rural • Self reported data* American College Health Association. American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment: Reference Group Data Report Spring 2006. Baltimore: American College Health Association; 2006. 6

7. Academic Impact Methodology • Health/wellness --> Academicperformance Key language: “...have any of the following affected your academic performance?” 7

8. Academic Impact Analysis • Analysis examined: • What is the FREQUENCY OF SELF REPORTED ISSUES impacting academics? • Are students with a LOWER GPA MORE LIKELY TO REPORT: • these issues impacted their academics? • experiencing these health issues (regardless of academic impact)?

9. FREQUENCY OF SELF REPORTED ISSUES • 58% of student reported one or more of the TOP 6 HEALTH RELATED ISSUES impacted their academics: • PHYSICAL HEALTH (Cold/flu/soar throat) • STRESS • SLEEP DIFFICULTIES • INTERNET USE • MENTAL HEALTH • ALCOHOL USE 9

10. Are students with a lower GPA more likely to report these issues impacted their academics? • Cross tabulating with reported GPA • Group One: A GPA • Group Two: Non-A GPA • 69% of students with a Non-A GPA report one or more of the top six impacting their academics • The odds that this group will experience one or more of the top six issues is 2.5x higher than that of students with an A GPA (p<.05)

11. Are students with a lower GPA more likely to report experiencing these health issues (regardless of academic impact)? • Using questions from other sections of the survey • Results show that students with a non-A GPA are significantly more likely to experience FOUR OF THE SIX TOP ISSUES impacting academics: • Physical health problems • Depression, Anxiety and/or SAD • Stress • Sleep difficulties

12. NCHA Findings- Summary • 58% of students report one or more of top six health concerns impact academics • Those students with a non-A GPA are • significantly more likely to report these academic impacts • significantly more likely to report 4 of the 6 issues when unrelated to academics

13. Remaining Question • Direction of relationship • Poor health makes it difficult to perform academically • OR • Something happens during the academic process that impacts health. • The Penn Health and Wellness Survey (PHWS) examined the “something” that may happen during the academic process and its impact on health.

14. PHWS- Background • Assesses similar areas as NCHA • Web-based • Launched spring 2008 (n=3025) • Split into three sub-surveys to allow for more comprehensive range of questions 14

15. PHWS- Background • Additional questions to provide • Penn specific data • More detail • Ex: Penn Specific • Have you been tested for HIV • Where were you tested • Reason for choosing location • Interest & willingness to use various locations • Ex: More Detail • Sexual Health • Three sections: Oral, Vaginal & Anal Sex • Skip patterns provide questions • for each section

16. Academic Impacts Methodology • Methodology: • Reverse order academics wellness • Add compensation behaviors- the something that happens during academics • Academic behavior --> Compensation --> Health/wellness Unhealthy academic behaviors Compensation behaviors Poor health 16

17. Academic Impacts Methodology • ‘ • UNHEALTHY ACADEMIC BEHAVIORS • Poor time management • Skipping class/going to class late • Not contributing to group projects • Not completing readings or assignments • Missing exams • IMPACTS ON • WELLNESS • Physical health • Mental health • Anxiety • Stress • Sleep difficulties • Nutrition • Under exercised • Over exercised • Limited time with • friends • COMPENSATIONSFOR POOR BEHAVIORS • Stayed awake all night to get work done, etc. • Did not hand in best work • Copied work, paid or exchanged work • Compromised other school work • Canceled appointments (medial, counseling, etc) • Took AD/HD medications

18. Academic Impacts Analysis • What is the FREQUENCY OF COMPENSATION behaviors • Did COMPENSATION behaviors IMPACT HEALTH/WELLNESS 18

19. FREQUENCY OF COMPENSATION BEHAVIORS • 59% of students compensated for unhealthy academic behaviors in some way • Top Compensations: • STAYING AWAKE • SKIPPING PERSONAL/SOCIAL EVENTS • NOT COMPLETING READINGS • NOT HANDING IN BEST WORK • SKIPPING CLASS • SKIPPING MEALS

20. IMPACT OF COMPENSATIONS ON WELLNESS • Students who compensated for unhealthy academic behaviors were significantly more likely to report all measures of wellness being impacted. • Physical health • Mental health • Anxiety • Stress • Sleep difficulties • Nutrition • Under exercised • Over exercised • Limited time with • friends

21. Summary • A significant relationship between wellness and academics exists • Poor health impacts academics • Compensations for poor academic behaviors impact health 21

22. Cyclic Relationship Unhealthy academic behaviors Compensation behaviors • Poor time management • Stay up all night to get work done • Get sick • Miss class and hand in assignment late • Now, grade is lower & too sick to stay up • Take AD/HD to stay up to work on projects • Sleep is disturbed • Mental health is impacted • Do poorly on exam Academic Impacts Poor health 22

23. Points of Intervention Compensation behaviors Unhealthy academic behaviors • Learning Resources • Faculty outreach INTERVENTIONS Academic Impacts Poor health • Health Education • Health Services • Behavioral Intervention 23

24. Some OHE Interventions: Social Marketing

25. Smoking Cessation Individual sessions Trained counselor Multiple modalities Goal oriented Comprehensive health considered Stress Reduction (w/ alternative therapies) Individual sessions Alternative therapies Some OHE Interventions: Behavioral Intervention

26. University of Pennsylvania Office of Health Education 3611 Locust Walk, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104 215.573.3525 Matty Lehman, LSW lehman2@upenn.edu Tamarah Smith-Dyer tamarahf@upenn.edu • Contact Info