Health information and health risk behaviors in a sample of college students.

Abstract

College students often engage in behaviors that put their health at risk. In this study, 810 University of Louisville students (ages 18-24) completed an online assessment of their health risk behaviors. Additional information was collected concerning the types and sources of health information received by the students and how much trust the students had in the information sources. Results indicate that many students engage in health risk behaviors, including substance use, risky sexual activities, infrequent helmet use, and others, with little evidence to suggest that health information affects these behaviors. However, most students say they get their health information from sources that they don't particularly trust, such as friends, the media, and the internet. Health professionals and health educators are highly trusted by the students, yet among the least common providers of health information. Suggestions are made to encourage health professionals to prescribe health information sources on the internet to their college-age patients.