College health is a desired outcome created by a constellation of services, programs and policies directed at advancing the health and wellbeing of individuals enrolled in an institution of higher education, while also addressing and improving both population health and community health. Many colleges and universities worldwide apply both health promotion and health care as processes to achieve key performance indicators in college health. The variety of healthcare services provided by any one institution range from first aid stations employing a single nurse to large, accredited, multi-specialty ambulatory healthcare clinics with hundreds of employees.[1] These services, programs and policies require a multidisciplinary team, the healthcare services alone include physicians, physician assistants, administrators, nurses, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, health educators, athletic trainers, dietitians and nutritionists, and pharmacists. Some of the healthcare services extend to include massage therapists and other holistic health care professionals.[1] While currently changing, the vast majority of college health services are set up as cost centers or service units rather than as parts of academic departments or health care delivery enterprises.[2]
Ever increasing levels of college health often requires comprehensive environmental management, the coordination of resources, and institutional accountability for addressing the negative health impacts from alcohol use disorder and other substance abuse, mental illnesses such as depression and general anxiety disorders, sexual assault and discrimination among others.[3][4] The creation of innovative strategies to address the behavioral determinants of health among post-secondary students continues to pose challenges for institutions worldwide.[5]
- ^ a b Grace TW (May 1997). "Health problems of college students". Journal of American College Health. 45 (6): 243–50. doi:10.1080/07448481.1997.9936894. PMID 9164054.
- ^ "Health Education/Health Promotion". acha.org. Advanced Solutions International, Inc. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ^ Zimmer CG, Hill MH, Sonnad SR (May 2003). "A scope-of-practice survey leading to the development of standards of practice for health promotion in higher education". Journal of American College Health. 51 (6): 247–54. doi:10.1080/07448480309596357. PMID 14510027. S2CID 37018256.
- ^ Keeling RP (March 2002). "Binge drinking and the college environment". Journal of American College Health. 50 (5): 197–201. doi:10.1080/07448480209595712. PMID 11990978. S2CID 42063403.
- ^ Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Assuring the Health of the Public in the 21st Century (2002). Academia. National Academies Press (US).
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