Relationship of work hours with selected health behaviors and academic progress among a college student cohort.
Approximately 57% of college students work while attending school. Health risks related to working while in college have not been widely studied.


OBJECTIVE
The authors' purpose in this study was to determine associations between hours worked, binge drinking, sleep habits, and academic performance among a college student cohort.


METHODS
The authors randomly selected a sample of 1,700 undergraduates from a southeastern US university and mailed to them a survey requesting a variety of self-reported health behaviors and hours worked. A total of 903 completed questionnaires were received, indicating a response rate of 57.3%.


RESULTS
Binge drinking, less sleep, and lower academic performance were significantly associated with working 20 or more hours per week. Those variables were not associated with working fewer than 20 hours per week.


CONCLUSIONS
Although administrators and others in higher education are aware of the impact of economics on a school's ability to operate, they may not be aware of the impact on students' health.
Miller
Kim
K
Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0219, USA. kmill5@uky.edu
Danner
Fred
F
Staten
Ruth
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012890:Sleep; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017748:Time Management; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*