Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Social Support In An Internet-Based Weight Loss Intervention Among College Students, Yijia Zhang

Masters Theses

Objective: To assess college students’ perceptions regarding online social support in an 8-week Internet-based weight loss intervention.

Participants: Participants were those randomized to the intervention group of an online weight loss intervention targeting overweight and obese college students.

Methods: Members of the intervention group had access to a private discussion forum and weekly live chat sessions, allowing for anonymous interactions. Following the 8-week intervention, intervention group members were invited to complete an online focus group, discussing these tools. The transcripts were directly copied from the live chat conversation history. Using thematic analysis, perceptions regarding online social support were identified, coded …

Mental Health Awareness Building Via Android Application, James Faraday, Joshua Martin

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The goal of this project was to create a tool that provides students at Minnesota State University, Mankato with mental health information through a freely available smartphone application (App). Our approach used a software engineering design process that focused on who our customers are, what resources are available, and how we can best connect the two to improve student lives. We identified the stakeholders involved and worked with campus mental health professionals to help shape our App. While there is a broad range of mental health topics, we have focused on materials related to depression. The first process of the …

Impact Of Healthy Lifestyle Choices On Smoking Behavior Among College Students Who Smoke Cigarettes, Mitchell Jenkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impact certain healthy lifestyle choices had on smoking behavior among college students who smoke cigarettes. Even with continued reduction in prevalence, cigarette smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in America. With that in mind, it is important to continue to identify factors that relate to decreased tobacco usage. Secondary data from the American College Health Association's bi-yearly National College Health Assessment was used for this study. This assessment/survey encompasses college students' habits, behaviors, and perceptions regarding prevalent health topics. The sample for this study consisted of 14,515 college students who identified themselves as …

Plan B Emergency Contraception: Sampled University Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors, Natalie Hazel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to assess and evaluate sampled university students' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors related to the Plan B emergency contraceptive. To collect data, a 29 item survey was developed and administered to students in sampled classrooms at Minnesota State University, Mankato campus regarding their knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors related to the Plan B emergency contraceptive; as well as demographic information. The findings of the study indicated there were some participants who have much knowledge about the Plan B emergency contraceptive. However, findings also showed that there were a number of participants who lacked knowledge …

A Pilot Study Examining The Impact Of A Brief Health Education Intervention On Food Choices And Exercise In A Hispanic College Student Sample, Julie Ann Blow

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

It has been suggested that intervention efforts should focus on prevention of weight gain and the adoption of healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. There is a dearth of literature as to what theoretically-based interventions would be most amenable and efficacious in a Hispanic college student sample. This study assessed the impact of a pilot intervention based on components derived from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) that focused on increasing healthy eating and physical activity in Hispanic college students. Measures in the study included demographics, theoretical constructs from SDT and the TTM, eating behavior, and a food …

Sex Education Background Of Students At Msu, Mankato Prior To Enrollment At The University, Natalie Mcconkey

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine what key concepts were recalled in high school sex education curricula by students at MSU. The participants in this study were MSU, students enrolled in 2013 spring semester Health and the Environment course. An electronic survey consisting of 43 questions was distributed though the survey program SurveyMonkey. The survey was sent out to 596 MSU students, and data was collected from 39 MSU, M students. Roughly, 73% of the participants reported receiving comprehensive sex education compared to 19% of participants reporting abstinence-only education in high school. The key concepts that received major …

Risk Perceptions Of Cardiovascular Disease In College Students, Antonia Kolas

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

College students oftentimes underestimate their risk perception of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study examined undergraduate students' perception of efficacy and perception of threat of cardiovascular disease. A paper survey was distributed to three undergraduate student classes (n = 127; 66.9% female; 33.1% male; 83.5% White/Caucasian; M age = 20.00). This 17-item survey assessed demographics, perception of general health, perception of efficacy of cardiovascular disease, and perception of threat of cardiovascular disease. Analyses included Cronbach's alpha, descriptive, frequencies, and independent sample t-test. College students have a higher perception of efficacy (M = 24.45 out of 30.00; SD = 4.35) and a …

University Students' Perceptions Of The Severity Of Binge Drinking, Lauren Eleanore Stone

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to assess university students' perceptions of the severity of binge drinking. To assess university students' perceptions, a survey questionnaire was used. The survey looked at reported binge drinking behaviors by sampled college students and how serious they perceived consequences of binge drinking. A total of 270 students at Minnesota State University, Mankato participated in the research regarding binge drinking during spring semester 2014. The mean age was 19.8 years old, with a majority (70%) being freshmen and sophomores. Around 60% of females reported binge drinking within the last two-weeks of taking the survey, while …