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

Abstract

Objective: This description of the College Health Surveillance Network (CHSN) includes methodology, demography, epidemiology, and health care utilization. Participants: Twenty-three universities representing approximately 730,000 enrolled students contributed data from January 1, 2011, through May 31, 2014. Methods: Participating schools uploaded de-identified electronic health records from student health services monthly. Results: 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. Conclusions: CHSN data establish trends in utilization and epidemiologic patterns by college students and the importance of primary and behavioral health care services on campuses.

HPV and HPV vaccine information among a national sample of college and university websites

“…For these students, the time in college represents an opportunity to obtain or complete the HPV vaccine series and college health centers are an excellent resource for HPV vaccination efforts. One recent study examined 23 colleges’ health services utilization during a 41‐month time frame, and during that time students engaged in over 4 million patient encounters (Turner & Keller, ).…”

US campus fraternities and sororities and the young adult injury burden

“…A new database of student health services utilization at 23 participating universities reported 12% of student patients attending health services over a 41-month study period were treated for injuries, and those patients were treated over an average of 1.72 visits. 36 Injury visits accounted for approximately 4% (or, 164,457/4,170,415) of total student health center visits over the study period, which, if applied to that study’s total annual visit rate (or, 165.5 per 100 enrolled students) suggests injury visits accounted for approximately 0.7 annual visits per 1,000 university students (authors’ calculation). Campus health services therefore might account for a very small proportion of injury medical care among the 18–24 population, given that the annual rate of injury visits in hospital EDs serving residential campuses was >100 visits per 1,000 population age 18–24 in this analysis (Table 2).…”

Health maintenance practices and healthcare experiences among international university students

“…An estimated 1500 university‐based student health centers in the United States provide medical and behavioral services to approximately 32% (6,484,480) of all enrolled students. The 10 most common diagnostic categories reported by student health centers are listed in Table (Turner & Keller, ).…”

“…Utilization of student health services is influenced by a number of factors, including service accessibility and cost, both of which are increasingly dependent on having access to health insurance (American College Health Association [ACHA], ; Turner & Keller, ). University students from the United States typically obtain health insurance by remaining on their parents' plan (if under age 26), enrolling in their school's student health insurance plan (SHIP), or purchasing an individual plan through the health care exchange (Best Colleges, n.d.).…”

“…Patient satisfaction with services also influences healthcare utilization (Turner & Keller, ). Common sources of patient dissatisfaction in the United States are listed in Table (Anderson, Barbara, & Feldman, ).…”