title: Health-related quality of life among online university students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Online university students are a growing population whose health has received minimal attention. The purpose of this cross-sectional Internet survey was to identify risk factors for the health status among online university students.
  
  
  METHODS
  This online survey collected data from 301 online university students through a large, US-based participant pool and LinkedIn. Health status was measured using 3 elements of health-related quality of life (HRQOL): self-rated overall health (SRH), unhealthy days, and recent activity limitation days. All 3 measures were dichotomized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds of poor SRH were higher for people who reported a body mass index in the overweight and obese categories (odds ratio [OR] = 2.99, P < .05) and for those who reported being smokers (OR = 2.52, P = .03). The odds of frequent unhealthy days were lower for those who made more than $35 000 compared with those who reported making less (OR = 0.50, P = .03) and those who exercised 4 or more times a week compared with those who exercised less (OR = 0.28, P < .05). The odds of frequent activity limitation were lower for those who reported an income of more than $35 000 (OR = 0.29, P = .04) and higher for persons who reported belonging to "other" race (OR = 14.75, P = .00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Universities might fruitfully target health promotion programs for online students who are low income, in disadvantaged racial groups, who are overweight, smoke, and who do not exercise.
authors.affiliation: William Woods University, Fulton, MO, USA pamela.maynard@williamwoods.edu.
authors.forename: Pamela L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Maynard
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rohrer
authors.affiliation: Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fulton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013334:Students; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HRQOL; health-related quality of life; online students; online student’s health status; online university