The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important andneglected public health problem?

Background A survey of students in three UK higher education establishments was undertaken to obtain information about students' physical and emotiona l well-being, their attitudes to, and beliefs about health, and the prevale nce of risk factors for future ill health. Methods Health was measured by the prevalence of longstanding illness and b y the SF-36 health status measurement tool. Survey results were compared wi th equivalent data for 18- to 34-year-olds in the local population. The pre valence of long-standing illness was also compared with two national survey s. Results The survey achieved a 49 per cent response rate. More than one-thir d of respondents reported a long-standing illness, a higher prevalence than in all comparison surveys. Students scored significantly worse than their peers in the local population on all eight SF-36 dimensions. The greatest d ifference was for role limitations as a result of emotional problems. The m ain sources of emotional distress were study or work problems and money. Conclusion The poor response Fate in this survey dictates the need for caut ion in interpretation of the results. However, they suggest that the hearth of students is poor relative to that of their peers, and that their emotio nal health is more of a problem than their physical health. Public health p ractitioners might want to pay more attention to the hearth of this importa nt and relatively neglected group. Worries about studies and money appear t o be affecting students' academic work, and this should be of concern to hi gher education establishments.