Risky behavior of adolescent college students.
Nurses who provide care to adolescent college students are challenged to meet their diverse health care needs. Recent national survey data on American college students indicate that many participate in risky behaviors, which can have detrimental effects on their physical and psychosocial health. These data also reveal that college students rank health educators and health center medical staff as the most believable sources of health-related information. Thus, nurses are in key positions to screen for and educate about stress, coping styles, and mental health issues. In addition to decreasing barriers to access, nurses can inform students on the kinds of resources available and their locations. This article also describes interventions that may be effective on college campuses for the reduction of risks and the promotion of positive coping and health outcomes in this population.
Ahern
Nancy R
NR
College of Nursing, University of Central Florida, Orlando 32816-2210, USA. nahern@mail.ucf.edu
D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013333:Student Health Services; D014481:United States