Students' Health at Harvard Favorable

According to recently released data about Harvard students’ health habits, undergraduates lead healthier lifestyles than their national counterparts, though they still display some alarming behaviors, according to University Health Services (UHS) officals.

The data came from the largest health survey ever conducted on the Harvard student body.

The survey was distributed through UHS, and sponsored by the American College Health Association (ACHA).The Harvard results were first released to UHS in the spring of 2001, with the national data following this past summer.

Over the last few months health experts have been busy analyzing the results.

“I was surprised that so many students reported smoking, and it surprised me that we have a significant number of couch potatoes,” says David S. Rosenthal ’57, director of UHS. “And student eating habits are concerning, despite students saying that they eat well.”

The survey was the first nationwide effort to track college health behaviors.

Previously, the only similar data available to college health centers came from the Centers for Disease Control’s assessment on adolescent health, a project that was not specific to college students.

“We participated because there was no national or Harvard data set for health behaviors,” says Michael A. Hoyt, UHS coordinator of health promotion and outreach, who spearheaded the survey effort. “We had indicators, but no specific numbers, and no numbers to compare the indicators to. We had no ability to track health over time, and we didn’t know what real needs were.”

The questionnaire, which requested information on topics ranging from time management to sexual practices, was mailed to 2,500 randomly selected Harvard undergraduates in the spring of 2000.

Of those students, 905 returned the anonymous survey, a 36.2 percent response rate. Despite the low response, respondents were demographically representative of the student body as a whole, according to the survey results.

With its first set of comprehensive concrete data, UHS is now engaged in educating its clinicians to better meet student needs, as well as passing on the information to groups who can use the data to more efficiently help students, such as student peer education groups.

“It helps us focus where we need to put our educational efforts, and better work with peer educational groups,” says Rosenthal.

Despite some unexpected results, UHS officials say they are generally pleased with the results.

“Taken in the big picture, the survey was good news,” says Hoyt. “In many instances, students had healthier behaviors than the national average would suggest.”

Abusive Behavior

The survey fulfilled one of its most important functions in producing the first numerical figures for sexual assault on campus.

Previously, assaults could only be counted by those who reported them, leaving officials to guess how many students were remaining silent. The survey showed that 0.8 percent of Harvard females reported sexual penetration against their will within the year prior to the survey, compared to a national average of 1.8 percent.

“That’s the type of statistic where it doesn’t matter how low ours is compared to the national average,” says Hoyt. “You still care, unless it’s zero.”

The numerical data has been very useful for administration and peer groups alike, shedding light on student abusive behavior and relationships. Over eight percent of Harvard females reported involvement in abusive relationships, compared to a national average of 13 percent.

In partial response to these statistics, Assistant Dean of the College Karen E. Avery ’87 has started a discussion group of representatives from UHS, college administration, Harvard University Police Department and peer counseling and education groups to look into the issues surrounding sexual assault.

Sexual Habits

Harvard students claimed notably high rates of contraception use. Fifty-seven percent of students reported using condoms the last time they had vaginal sex, significantly higher than the 45 percent national average.

“Condom use is high, which I would attribute to the easy condom access at Harvard,” says Hoyt. “This is why they’re there.”

Emergency contraception use was also up, with twice as many Harvard females (13 percent) claiming use of the morning after pill in the last year than their peers (6.7 percent). Emergency contraception is available at UHS 24 hours a day.

Despite high contraception use, Harvard students are less sexually active than their peers, with 31.2 percent of students reporting vaginal sex within thirty days and 40.3 percent reporting oral sex, well below the national averages of 51 percent and 48 percent, respectively.

Harvard students were more likely to report a sexual persuasion other than heterosexuality, with 4.8 percent identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, as opposed to 2.9 percent nationwide.

Based on the survey results, UHS clinicians are currently undergoing training to better meet the needs of gay, lesbian or transgendered students, according to Hoyt.

Mental Health

Despite decreased sexual fraternization, the mental health of Harvard students appears to be on par with the rest of the country, with 9.2 percent of students reporting past diagnoses of depression, 0.8 percent below the national average.

The survey data suggests no trends correlating with Harvard class year, though females were one-and-a-half to two times more likely to report various forms of mental distress.

“The numbers do suggest that females show higher amounts of mental issues,” says Hoyt, “but females may be more likely to admit it or label it than males.”

Over 34 percent of students reported a diagnosis of depression within the past year, as opposed to a national average of 23 percent. Of those students diagnosed, 32.4 percent reported current therapy, compared to a national average of only 17 percent.

“I think this speaks to good access to mental health services at UHS,” Hoyt says.

Blowing Smoke

The survey results also showed high levels of student smoking, with 15.6 percent reporting cigarette use each month.

“I’m surprised,” says Nicole M. Jones, ’03. “You don’t usually see that many people on campus smoking––there’s never anyone to bum a cigarette off of.”

Though Harvard was notably below the 25.3 percent national average, the data showed smoking frequency increasing with class year.

This statistic has caused great concern at UHS, as research by Harvard professors Graham Professor of Gender Studies Carol Gilligan and Professor of Psychiatry George E. Vaillant has shown that behaviors developed in early adulthood often become life-long habits.

“The smoking issue is huge,” Hoyt says. “It’s something we’re addressing, though it’s difficult to address in a college population because they’re starting to smoke, and forming habits.”

Though Harvard was one of the first colleges nationwide to forbid smoking in dorms, UHS has never had a smoking cessation program available to students on campus.

In response to the survey results, UHS is collaborating with Mass. General Hospital to help students stop smoking.

“It’s great that smokers have a place to go if they want to quit, but it’s getting the motivation that’s the problem,” says Jones. “If they want to quit, they’ll quit.”

The new smoking cessation program is specially priced for students at approximately $20 for the entire program, including free access to nicotine gum.

Dangerous Drinking

Students exhibited frequent––and sometimes dangerous––use of other substances, according to survey results. Student alcohol consumption mirrored the national trend with 72.2 percent of students reporting use in the past thirty days, slightly higher than the national average of 68 percent. Harvard students drink for an average of 2.5 hours when they “party.”

However, 7.9 percent of students reported driving after drinking within the past 30 days.

“That’s astonishing and appaling,” says Susan M. Brunka, ’03. “I never thought drunk driving would be that common at Harvard.”

The statistic is especially surprising, considering the small number of students with automobiles on campus.

Fourteen percent of students reported physically injuring themselves due to drinking in the past year, and thirty percent reported doing something they later regretted.

“Clearly, students need to be more cautious when they drink,” says Brunka.

Peer Pressure

A large portion of the survey was devoted to the difference between student perceptions of peer behavior and actual student behavior.

The survey data showed that Harvard students highly overestimate the substance use of their peers.

Students guessed that half of their peers use marijuana each month, while only 12.2 percent reported marijuana use.

Students also assumed that 69 percent of their fellow students smoked each month, whereas only 15.6 percent do.

Though only 72 percent of the student body consumes alcohol each month, undergraduates estimated 98 percent.

“I think everyone assumes that everyone else is having more fun,” says Laure E. “Voop” Vulpillieres ’02. “But really, they’re not.”

—Staff writer Arianne R. Cohen can be reached at cohen7@fas.harvard.edu.