PREVENTION OF HEALTH-RISK BEHAVIORS IN COLLEGE-STUDENTS - EVALUATING 7 VARIABLES

Poor health habits in the areas of nutrition, alcohol, and sexual beha viors, put college students at high risk for alcohol abuse, poor nutri tion, and AIDS. Theories of health behavior change, including the Heal th Belief Model and Bandura's social cognitive theory, were used to de termine factors that predict behavior change in college students. A mu lti-item survey that included measures of 7 different variables far ea ch of the 3 health behaviors areas was administered to 125 male and 23 1 female undergraduate college students. Student participants' median age was 22; 6% were African American, 11% Hispanic American, 6% Asian American and 72% Caucasian. Risk for AIDS was influenced by level of i dentity and self-confidence, perceived barriers to prevention, and sel f-efficacy. Risk for alcohol abuse was influenced by perceptions of th e severity and barriers involved, self-efficacy, and social influences . Nutritional practices were affected by level of identity and self-co nfidence, perceived severity and barriers, and social influence. Speci fic interventions are suggested.