Leveraging Multi-Level Influences for Proactive Campus Health: A Commentary on Social-Ecological Model Integration During Public Health Emergencies

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of college campuses to public health emergencies and the need for proactive strategies that worked to promote preventive behaviors. Building on Vilme et al.’s application of the social-ecological model (SEM) to understand student compliance, this commentary offers a multi-pronged approach for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs) to navigate the uncertainty of public health emergencies. First, the SEM framework allows CHES® to analyze the multifaceted influences on college students’ behaviors during emergencies. This deeper understanding facilitates the development of resilient, responsive, and prevention-conscious campus communities better equipped to adapt to future crises. Second, we advocate for leveraging the protection motivation theory (PMT) by crafting public health messages that utilize fear appeals to bolster threat appraisal and incentivize protective actions. To maximize their resonance, these messages must be customized to students’ unique socio-ecological contexts and concerns. Finally, we propose expedited community-based participatory research (CBPR) as the ideal real-time understanding and intervention framework. Collaborative research partnerships between college students, CHES®, and IHEs should foster trust, cultural sensitivity, and context-specific knowledge, leading to more relevant and impactful prevention strategies. By integrating SEM, PMT, and CBPR principles, CHES® can empower IHEs to move beyond reactive measures and proactively shape protective campus environments.