Learning and living health: college students' experiences with an introductory health course

Despite the Healthy People 2010 initiative and the national focus on promoting healthy lifestyle strategies, studies indicate that U.S. citizens are becoming more obese, and that rates of depression, diabetes, hypertension, homicide, and suicide are increasing. The college campus provides a microcosm of the health issues facing the nation, with college students' reports of increased risk behaviors evident in higher rates of smoking and binge drinking. Faculty in schools of nursing are in an ideal position to develop and provide health promotion and illness prevention programs, both for their own nursing students and for a broader campus-wide student population. This article describes a research study that course faculty conducted during the first year of implementation, designed to evaluate the extent to which participation in the "Introduction to Health" coursework and related activities influenced students' health-related behaviors.