College Health Surveillance Network: Epidemiology and Health Care Utilization of College Students at US 4-Year...

This description of the College Health Surveillance Network (CHSN) includes methodology, demography, epidemiology, and health care utilization.

Twenty-three universities representing approximately 730,000 enrolled students contributed data from January 1, 2011, through May 31, 2014.

Participating schools uploaded de-identified electronic health records from student health services monthly.

During this study, just over 800,000 individuals used the health centers, comprising 4.17 million patient encounters. Sixty percent of visits included primary care, 13% mental health, 9% vaccination, and 31% other miscellaneous services. The 5 most common specific diagnostic categories (with annual rates per 100 enrolled students) were preventive (16); respiratory (12); skin, hair, and nails; infectious non-sexually transmitted infection (5 each); and mental health (4). Utilization and epidemiologic trends are identified among subpopulations of students.

CHSN data establish trends in utilization and epidemiologic patterns by college students and the importance of primary and behavioral health care services on campuses.