The Healthy College Student

Studies on the impact of health behaviors on morbidity often focus on the limited impact of a single behavior or a limited group of behaviors. In this study, we examine college student behaviors and investigate the link of these behaviors with a 2-week illness profile. Through self-reported surveys, we measure acute illness and a general illness burden, a cumulative measure of major and minor ailments. We explore how daily routines correlate with these illness measures. Eighty-four students from a random sample of 90 students attending a small liberal arts school completed the survey for a response rate of 93%. Living arrangements, exercise, sleep patterns, eating preferences and habits, and “social†behaviors were all significantly associated with illness burden. Students living in “singles†and those who got regular exercise and an average of 7 hr of sleep per night reported less illness. Most interesting is the effect of social behaviors. Students who greet others with a handshake reported higher illness rates, as did students who share food and/or drinks. While we can conceptualize why these behaviors would lead to a greater illness burden, students who engaged more frequently in these behaviors also reported being “happier.†In trying to reduce illness among college students, we might suggest less handshaking and food and beverage sharing, but these actions are ways in which college students express and maintain friendships. College administrators are challenged to discover ways to reduce illness while maintaining the positive aspects of local student culture. This study begins to explore some ways to balance health and camaraderie.