Page 178 - GHES-3-2

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Health awareness survey of university students

offers a personalized online self-test that provides insights It is expected that the recent health crisis, the climate crisis,
into drinking behavior and connects users with nearby and other developments may have shifted these needs.
guidance resources. In addition, a 2-day seminar is A study by Busse et al. (2021) examined the impacts
organized each semester, focusing on health topics, such as of the COVID-19 pandemic on health risk behaviors
sexually transmitted diseases, mental health, and alcohol among 5021 students at four German universities in 2020.
consumption. A partnership with the European Lifestyle Notably, there were changes in binge drinking and physical
Medicine Organization (ELMO) enables students to access activity: 31% of students reported a decreased vigorous
health-related training courses at a reduced cost while also physical activity and 22% reported decreased moderate
providing them with valuable health-related publications physical activity during the pandemic. Although 24% of
and resources. ELMO, as a non-profit, non-political, the students engaged less in binge drinking, 5% reported
and non-religious scientific and medical organization, more episodes of binge drinking, with a pre-pandemic
emphasizes evidence-based approaches to disease binge drinking rate of 45.8%. Factors associated with
prevention and health promotion. Its focus on nutrition, changes in health-risk behaviors included female gender,
physical activity, sleep, and psychology, supported by real- younger age, lacked trusting relationships, and symptoms
life cases, is particularly relevant to enhancing students’ of depression (Busse et al., 2021).
understanding of healthy decision-making. (European
Lifestyle Medicine Organization, 2023). The pandemic also affected mental health. An online
survey among German students (Holm-Hadulla et al.,
Furthermore, weekly running meetings and high- 2021) found that 72.2% had a World Health Organization
intensity interval training sessions are conducted under – five well-being score below 50, indicating poor well-
teacher guidance, with virtual sessions during pandemic- being and potential depressive symptoms. In addition,
affected semesters. Overall, most interventions focus on 41.6% showed signs of major depressive syndrome, while
the faculty level, which helps reach a broader audience. This 20% reported generalized anxiety or panic syndromes, due
support is facilitated by a faculty committee committed to social isolation during the pandemic. Similar results
to promoting healthy behaviors among all status groups were found in another study (Schröpfer et al., 2021) that
on campus. However, during the survey, a lack of clear reported significantly higher psychological stress in 44% of
communication strategy was observed, resulting in many German students during the pandemic.
offers going unnoticed. Promotional methods primarily A recent health report by Techniker Krankenkasse
included posters placed at strategic locations on campus, (Meyer et al., 2023) surveyed 1000 students aged 18 and
which often got lost among other informational materials. above nationwide and found significant deterioration in
To avoid overwhelming students and teachers with emails, students’ general health compared to a baseline survey in
invitations were typically sent only once. For faculty- 2015. In 2015, 84% of students rated their overall health
promoted issues, direct communication during lectures as very good or good, whereas in 2023, only 61% did so.
was preferred, making health-related offers more accessible Conversely, the proportion of students describing their
to students in the Nursing and Health Care department but health as less good or poor increased from 3% in 2015
less so for those in other departments, such as Social Work to 10% in 2023. Specifically, 68% reported stress-related
or Inclusive Education. exhaustion in the past 12 months, 59% experienced
In the preceding section, an overview of health headaches, 55% had back pain, and 53% suffered from
promotion in the university setting was provided, with concentration difficulties. Furthermore, 43% reported
a focus on the “Health-Promoting Faculty V - Campus sleep problems, 34% experienced depressed mood, and
Kleefeld.” The next section will describe efforts to assess 29% felt lonely (Meyer et al., 2023). In contrast, another
whether the above-outlined structure meets the current study (Voltmer et al., 2021) found no significant changes in
needs of students. mental health among German students between 2019 and
2020, based on data from one German university.
1.1. Research aim
2. Methodology
In April 2019, the Health-Promoting Faculty V - Campus
Kleefeld project ended with the final goal of embedding This section outlines the strategy used to assess awareness
health promotion into the faculty’s structure and policy. and involvement among students in health-promoting
Four years later, with a new generation of students and activities on the Kleefeld campus of the Hannover
significant global changes, this small-scale research aims to University of Applied Sciences and Arts as well as evaluate
evaluate whether past interventions are appreciated by the the future needs of these students. Over the past few
current and if new health promotion needs have emerged. years, students faced numerous challenges, including the

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 170 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.4290