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National College Health Assessment (NCHA) Fall 2017

The ACHA-NCHA II Survey supports the health of the campus community by fulfilling the academic mission, supporting short- and long-term healthy behaviors, and gaining a current profile of health trends within the campus community.

The following results represent the 2017 survey results and are specific to the Boise State University campus.

For the complete executive summary, or to see previous survey results, please contact The Office of BroncoFit at wellness@boisestate.edu.

2017 NCHA Boise State Survey Results

Disease and Injury Prevention

Vaccinations

  • 61.4 % reported receiving vaccination against hepatitis B.
  • 42.6 % reported receiving vaccination against Human Papillomavirus/HPV (cervical cancer vaccine).
  • 43.1 % reported receiving vaccination against influenza (flu) in the last 12 months (shot or nasal mist).
  • 71.2 % reported receiving vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella.
  • 57.0 % reported receiving vaccination against meningococcal meningitis.
  • 55.1 % reported receiving vaccination against varicella (chicken pox).

Other Disease Prevention Practices

  • 69.4 % reported having a dental exam and cleaning in the last 12 months.
  • 34.6 % of males reported performing a testicular self exam in the last 30 days.
  • 45.2 % of females reported performing a breast self exam in the last 30 days.
  • 48.0 % of females reported having a routine gynecological exam in the last 12 months.
  • 60.4 % reported using sunscreen regularly with sun exposure.
  • 37.5 % reported ever being tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.
College students reported the following behaviors within the last 12 months:
Percent (%) N/A, did not do this activity within the last 12 months Never* Rarely or sometimes* Mostly or always*
Wear a seatbelt when you rode in a car 0.2 0.4 4.0 95.6
Wear a helmet when you rode a bicycle 34.8 46.1 22.0 31.9
Wear a helmet when you rode a motorcycle 78.0 8.0 7.0 85.0
Wear a helmet when you were inline skating 85.8 59.5 16.5 24.0

Academic Impacts

Within the last 12 months, students reported the following factors affecting their individual academic performance, defined as: received a lower grade on an exam, or an important project; received a lower grade in the course; received an incomplete or dropped the course; or experienced a significant disruption in thesis, dissertation, research, or practicum work; (listed alphabetically):

Factor Percent Factor Percent
Alcohol use: 3.4 % Gambling: 0.2 %
Allergies: 2.5 % Homesickness: 3.2 %
Anxiety: 28.6 % Injury: 1.2 %
Assault (physical): 0.4 % Internet use/computer games: 7.6 %
Assault (sexual): 1.4 % Learning disability: 3.0 %
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: 6.8 % Participation in extracurricular activities 7.1 %
Cold/Flu/Sore throat: 17.8 % Pregnancy (yours or partner’s): 0.8 %
Concern for a troubled friend or family member: 11.2 % Relationship difficulties: 8.1 %
Chronic health problem or serious illness: 6.0 % Roommate difficulties: 4.7 %
Chronic pain: 3.7 % Sexually transmitted disease/   infection (STD/I): 0.2 %
Death of a friend or family member: 5.0 % Sinus infection/Ear infection/  Bronchitis/Strep throat: 5.7 %
Depression: 19.0 % Sleep difficulties: 23.0 %
Discrimination: 1.2 % Stress: 34.5 %
Drug use: 1.3 % Work: 22.8 %
Eating disorder/problem: 1.4 % Other: 3.8 %
Finances: 9.6 %

Violence, Abusive Relationships and Personal Safety

Within the last 12 months, college students reported experiencing:

Percent (%) Male Female Total
A physical fight 5.9 1.8 2.9
A physical assault (not sexual assault) 1.8 2.1 2.2
A verbal threat 20.9 17.0 18.4
Sexual touching without their consent 3.6 11.7 9.4
Sexual penetration attempt without their consent 0.0 4.1 2.9
Sexual penetration without their consent 0.0 2.3 1.7
Stalking 0.9 7.2 5.4
An emotionally abusive intimate relationship 7.7 11.1 10.2
A physically abusive intimate relationship 0.9 1.3 1.2
A sexually abusive intimate relationship 0.9 2.1 1.8

College students reported feeling very safe:

Percent (%) Male Female Total
On their campus (daytime) 90.9 84.4 86.4
On their campus (nighttime) 56.0 20.2 30.0
In the community surrounding their school (daytime) 74.9 65.2 68.0
In the community surrounding their school (nighttime) 44.0 15.0 23.0

Tobacco, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use

Within the last 30 days, college students reported using:

Substance Male Female Total
Cigarettes 14.0 9.5 10.8
E-Cigarettes 3.2 1.5 1.9
Alcohol 62.6 66.6 65.7
Marijuana 3.6 2.6 2.9
Hookah 2.7 2.6 2.7

Drinking and Driving: 

  • 2.0 % of college students reported driving after having 5 or more drinks in the last 30 days.*
  • 28.3 % of college students reported driving after having any alcohol in the last 30 days.* *Students responding “N/A, don’t drive” and “N/A don’t drink” were excluded from this analysis.

Reported number of drinks consumed the last time students “partied” or socialized. Only students reporting one or more drinks were included.

Number of drinks* Percent (%) Male Female Total
4 or fewer 60.8 68.8 66.2
5 6.3 11.9 10.7
6 8.9 7.2 7.6
7 or more 24.1 12.1 15.4
Mean 4.77 3.76 4.05
Median 4.00 3.00 3.00
Std Dev 3.48 2.58 2.95

* Students reporting 0 drinks were excluded.

Reported number of times college students consumed five or more drinks in a sitting within the last two weeks:

Percent (%) Male Female Total
N/A don’t drink 26.2 20.8 22.2
None 43.9 54.1 51.4
1-2 times 21.3 19.5 19.9
3-5 times 6.3 4.6 5.1
6 or more times 2.3 1.0 1.4

Percent of college students who reported using prescription drugs that were not prescribed  to them within the last 12 months:

Percent (%) Male Female Total
Antidepressants 0.9 3.6 2.8
Erectile dysfunction drugs 0.5 0.3 0.5
Pain killers 5.4 4.8 4.9
Sedatives 2.3 2.6 2.5
Stimulants 6.8 6.8 6.9
Used 1 or more of the above 12.7 13.3 13.3

College students reported doing the following most of the time or always when they “partied” or socialized during the last 12 months:*

Percent (%) Male Female Total
Alternate non-alcoholic with alcoholic beverages 35.8 40.4 39.0
Avoid drinking games 44.1 49.9 48.4
Choose not to drink alcohol 17.6 30.0 26.6
Determine in advance not to exceed a set number of drinks 40.6 50.1 47.4
Eat before and/or during drinking 87.7 85.0 85.2
Have a friend let you know when you have had enough 32.3 44.7 40.9
Keep track of how many drinks being consumed 60.9 71.9 68.8
Pace drinks to one or fewer an hour 33.1 43.0 40.2
Stay with the same group of friends the entire time drinking 89.5 94.0 92.4
Stick with only one kind of alcohol when drinking 49.7 58.3 56.2
Use a designated driver 81.4 92.7 88.9
Reported one or more of the above 97.0 99.8 99.0

*Students responding “N/A, don’t drink” were excluded from this analysis.

College students who drank alcohol reported experiencing the following in the last 12 months when drinking alcohol:*

Percent (%)MaleFemaleTotal
Did something you later regretted 25.6 34.0 32.1
Forgot where you were or what you did 19.5 24.0 23.1
Got in trouble with the police 2.5 1.3 1.7
Someone had sex with me without my consent 0.6 4.3 3.2
Had sex with someone without their consent 0.0 0.2 0.2
Had unprotected sex 26.2 23.0 24.1
Physically injured yourself 13.5 11.7 12.1
Physically injured another person 1.8 0.8 1.2
Seriously considered suicide 6.7 4.0 4.8
Reported one or more of the above 48.2 48.4 48.7

*Students responding “N/A, don’t drink” were excluded from this analysis.

Sexual Behavior

Sexual Partners

College students reported having the following number of sexual partners (oral sex, vaginal or anal intercourse) within the last 12 months:

# of Partners % Total
None 25.1
1 55.5
2 5.5
3 4.7
4 or more 9.2

Oral Sex

Oral sex within the past 30 days
Percent (%) Male Female Total
No, have never done this sexual activity 23.5 22.7 22.9
No, have done this sexual activity but not in the last 30 days 31.3 29.6 29.9
Yes 45.2 47.7 47.2

Vaginal Sex

Vaginal sex within the past 30 days
Percent (%) Male Female Total
No, have never done this sexual activity 25.7 21.4 22.4
No, have done this sexual activity but not in the last 30 days 21.6 17.6 18.8
Yes 52.8 61.0 58.8

Anal Sex

Anal sex within the past 30 days
Percent (%) Male Female Total
No, have never done this sexual activity 61.8 68.3 66.1
No, have done this sexual activity but not in the last 30 days 28.1 26.0 27.0
Yes 10.1 5.6 7.0

Barrier Methods

Using a condom or other protective barrier within the last 30 days (mostly or always ):
Percent (%) Male Female Total
Sexually active students reported*
Oral sex 5.1 3.4 4.0
Vaginal intercourse 28.5 30.6 30.2
Anal intercourse 8.9 18.3 15.5

*Students responding “Never did this sexual activity” or “Have not done this during the last thirty days” were  excluded from the analysis.

Contraceptive Methods

Contraceptive use reported by students or their partner the last time they had vaginal intercourse:
Percent (%) Male Female Total
Yes, used a method of contraception 56.2 63.5 61.8
Not applicable/Didn’t use a method/Don’t know 43.8 36.5 38.2

If YES to contraceptive use the last time student had vaginal intercourse, reported means of birth control used among college students or their partner to prevent pregnancy:

Percent (%) Male Female Total
Birth control pills (monthly or extended cycle) 45.0 46.3 46.1
Birth control shots 5.9 3.2 3.8
Birth control implants 16.0 11.1 12.2
Birth control patch 2.5 1.1 1.4
Vaginal ring 3.4 2.7 2.8
Intrauterine device 18.5 18.3 18.3
Male condom 53.8 44.6 46.6
Female condom 0.0 0.3 0.2
Diaphragm or cervical cap 0.0 0.3 0.2
Contraceptive sponge 0.0 0.0 0.0
Spermicide (foam, jelly, cream) 4.2 0.8 1.6
Fertility awareness (calendar, mucous, basal body temperature) 8.3 7.1 7.5
Withdrawal 18.5 29.4 26.4
Sterilization (hysterectomy, tubes tied, vasectomy) 8.4 9.0 8.7
Other method 2.5 2.9 3.0
Male condom use plus another method 40.8 38.2 38.5
Any two or more methods (excluding male condoms) 25.6 31.2 29.8
  •  10.5 % of sexually active college students reported using (or reported their partner used) emergency contraception (“morning after pill”) within the last 12 months.
  • (male: 12.1%; female: 9.8%).*

*Students responding “Not sexually active” were excluded from the analysis.

  • 1.6 % of college students who had vaginal intercourse within the last 12 months reported experiencing an unintentional pregnancy or got someone pregnant within the last 12 months.
  • (male: 1.9%; female:1.5 %).**

**Students responding “Have not had vaginal intercourse within the last 12 months” were excluded from

Nutrition and Exercise

Fruits and Vegetables

College students reported usually eating the following number of servings of fruits and vegetables per day:
Percent (%) Male Female Total
0 servings per day 9.0 6.5 7.3
1-2 per day 62.0 61.0 61.2
3-4 per day 25.8 26.8 26.5
5 or more per day 3.2 5.6 4.9

Exercise

Do moderate-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes:
Percent (%) Male Female Total
0 days 22.7 21.7 21.8
1-4 days 56.4 61.3 60.0
5-7 days 20.9 16.9 18.1
Do vigorous-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes:
Percent (%) Male Female Total
0 days 43.6 49.5 47.7
1-2 days 25.5 32.8 30.8
3-7 days 30.9 17.7 21.5

Physical Activity and Public Health: Updated Recommendations for Adults. From the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association (2007): Moderate-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days per week, or vigorous-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes on 3 or more days per week.

Students meeting the Recommendations for moderate-intensity exercise, vigorous-intensity  exercise, or a combination of the two (2 moderate-intensity exercise periods = 1 vigorous-intensity exercise period).

Percent (%) Male Female Total
Guidelines met 44.8 36.2 38.9

BMI

Estimated average Body Mass Index (BMI):

This figure incorporates reported height, and weight to form a general indicator of physical health. Categories defined by The World Health Organization (WHO) 2000, reprinted 2004. Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. WHO Tech Report Series: 894.

BMI Percent (%) Male Female Total
<18.5 Underweight 1.8 3.5 3.0
18.5-24.9 Healthy Weight 43.9 55.9 52.7
25-29.9 Overweight 34.8 22.3 25.3
30-34.9 Class I Obesity 13.1 10.6 11.6
35-39.9 Class II Obesity 5.0 4.8 4.8
≥40 Class III Obesity 1.4 3.0 2.6
Mean 26.33 25.51 25.75
Median 25.73 23.91 24.33
Std Dev 5.16 5.90 5.75

Mental Health

Fruits and Vegetables

College students reported usually eating the following number of servings of fruits and vegetables per day:
Percent (%) Male Female Total
0 servings per day 9.0 6.5 7.3
1-2 per day 62.0 61.0 61.2
3-4 per day 25.8 26.8 26.5
5 or more per day 3.2 5.6 4.9

Exercise

Do moderate-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes:
Percent (%) Male Female Total
0 days 22.7 21.7 21.8
1-4 days 56.4 61.3 60.0
5-7 days 20.9 16.9 18.1
Do vigorous-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes:
Percent (%) Male Female Total
0 days 43.6 49.5 47.7
1-2 days 25.5 32.8 30.8
3-7 days 30.9 17.7 21.5

Physical Activity and Public Health: Updated Recommendations for Adults. From the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association (2007): Moderate-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days per week, or vigorous-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes on 3 or more days per week.

Students meeting the Recommendations for moderate-intensity exercise, vigorous-intensity  exercise, or a combination of the two (2 moderate-intensity exercise periods = 1 vigorous-intensity exercise period).

Percent (%) Male Female Total
Guidelines met 44.8 36.2 38.9

BMI

Estimated average Body Mass Index (BMI):

This figure incorporates reported height, and weight to form a general indicator of physical health. Categories defined by The World Health Organization (WHO) 2000, reprinted 2004. Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. WHO Tech Report Series: 894.

BMI Percent (%) Male Female Total
<18.5 Underweight 1.8 3.5 3.0
18.5-24.9 Healthy Weight 43.9 55.9 52.7
25-29.9 Overweight 34.8 22.3 25.3
30-34.9 Class I Obesity 13.1 10.6 11.6
35-39.9 Class II Obesity 5.0 4.8 4.8
≥40 Class III Obesity 1.4 3.0 2.6
Mean 26.33 25.51 25.75
Median 25.73 23.91 24.33
Std Dev 5.16 5.90 5.75
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