Abstract
The health risk of college students in the United States (US) is on the rise, with a significant increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US, costing approximately $475.3 billion yearly. The goals of this “Know Your Numbers” study were to: (1) estimate the awareness of college students of their critical health numbers (CHN); and (2) compare a college of pharmacy entry class (IP1) with second semester non-commuter freshman college students (FCS) in knowing their numbers. A cross-sectional 15-item pre-test survey was conducted among a convenience sample of IP1 and FCS. All statistical tests were performed at α = 0.05. Awareness of their: cholesterol (7%), blood pressure (BP) (35%), glucose (8%), and body mass index (BMI) (42%) were low. The IP1, compared to FCS, were more knowledgeable of: (1) their BP (46% vs. 28%, p = 0.01); (2) BP normal range (74% vs. 63%, p = 0.02); and (3) BMI normal range (39% vs. 23%, p = 0.04). The IP1s maintained a healthier diet than the FCS (64% vs. 36%, p < 0.0001). Awareness of knowing CHN was very low. Knowledge of one’s CHN was significantly associated with knowledge of normal reference values for BP, glucose, and BMI.
Highlights
The level of awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among college-age students is limited and understudied [1]
incoming Professional Year 1 (IP1) and freshmen in terms of knowledge of total cholesterol (10% vs. 5%); blood pressure (BP) (46% vs. 28%); and percentage of participants with all four health indicators in normal range (31% vs. 17%)
A greater percentage of the IP1s compared to freshmen was aware of their BP (74% vs. 63%) and body mass index (BMI)
Summary
The level of awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among college-age students is limited and understudied [1]. American college students faced with new-found freedoms and responsibilities, such as eating whatever they want and being physically active, have the challenge of making the right decisions for their health [2]. It is easy to make poor choices and engage in risky behaviors when confronted with making the right choices for the first time in their lives [3]. This situation provides an excellent opportunity to present educational material on healthy lifestyle choices. Healthy behaviors formed during young adulthood can have long-lasting effects on health later in life [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
