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Associations between Health and Academic Success at a Florida University: An Exploratory Cross-sectional Study
Jessica Weissman1, Sharice Preston1, Elena Sebekos1
1Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL.
Florida Public Health Review
|January 7, 2020
Summary
College students' mental health impacts academic success, with poorer psychological health linked to considering dropping out and missing classes. Physical health correlated with course load, and low GPAs were associated with more health-related absences.
Area of Science:
- Health Sciences
- Educational Psychology
- Student Wellness
Background:
- Student academic performance is a critical metric in higher education.
- The interplay between physical/psychological health and academic outcomes requires further investigation.
- Understanding these associations can inform targeted student support services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between college students' perceived physical and psychological health.
- To investigate the association between health perceptions and academic performance indicators.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey design was employed.
- 265 college students completed a 65-item web-based survey.
- Data collected during the Spring 2015 semester at a university health services building.
Main Results:
- Poorer psychological health correlated with higher intent to drop out and increased class absenteeism due to health reasons.
- Poorer physical health was associated with enrollment in a greater number of credit hours.
- Students with a Grade Point Average (GPA) below 2.0 reported more health-related class absences than those with a 2.0+ GPA.
Conclusions:
- Perceived health status is significantly associated with academic performance measures in college students.
- Health-related class absences are linked to both lower GPA and poorer psychological health.
- Longitudinal research is recommended to establish causality and identify key health indicators for academic success.
