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Describing college students' health behaviors: a cluster-analytical approach

Clutter, Jill E.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1164762636

Abstract Details

2006, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Physical Activity and Educational Services.
The purpose of this study was to determine the health behavior lifestyles of college students and describe the characteristics of the differing lifestyles. The study used the leading indicators of health described by Healthy People 2010 to group college students into health lifestyle clusters. The clustering technique revealed three prominent groupings of students, named for the relative degree of risk indicated by their health-compromising behaviors: low risk, moderate risk, and high risk clusters. Differences in personal and environmental factors were found among the clusters. Notably, the high risk cluster members tended to be upperclassmen, live off campus, have more safety issues and lower GPAs than the members of the other clusters. The moderate cluster members tended to exhibit less risky behaviors, with the exception of a higher likelihood of engaging in risky sexual encounters. The low risk cluster members were more likely to live on campus or with their parents, tended to be younger and have higher GPAs. The ability to profile college students based upon known variables provides an avenue for identifying at-risk students and tailoring health promotion messages specifically for them. Because student behaviors can be linked to environmental and personal factors, there may also be implications for either policy change or adoption connected with health promotion efforts. Differences were also found in the perceived norms of the three clusters, with more extreme norms associated with students with higher risk behaviors. The patterns of these differences indicate more support for the introduction of use of the constructs of the Social Cognitive Theory for explaining and predicting health behaviors based upon personal and environmental factors. The use of these known factors can help identify and augment health promotion efforts at the college level.
David Stein (Advisor)
98 p.
college students; risky behaviors; smoking; alcohol; substance use; obesity; physical activity; sexual behavior

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Clutter, J. E. (2006). Describing college students' health behaviors: a cluster-analytical approach [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1164762636

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Clutter, Jill. Describing college students' health behaviors: a cluster-analytical approach. 2006. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1164762636.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Clutter, Jill. "Describing college students' health behaviors: a cluster-analytical approach." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1164762636

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1164762636
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© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.