TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of a Behavioral Self-Care Intervention for Public Health Students
AU - White, Marney A.
AU - Mayer, Margaret
AU - Vanderlind, W. Michael
AU - Allswede, Dana
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© SHAPE America.
PY - 2018/1/2
Y1 - 2018/1/2
N2 - Background: Postgraduate education is recognized as a time of intense stress. Rates of anxiety and depression are elevated among graduate students, and longitudinal studies have documented increases in clinical symptoms over the course of training. Purpose: The current study was to evaluate whether an academically sponsored self-care intervention would increase engagement in health promotion activities. The primary goal was to determine whether self-care behaviors completed in the midst of a challenging academic program would prevent the worsening of student mental health. Methods: The self-care intervention included behavior change projects designed to increase health-promoting behaviors within 4 domains (nutrition, physical activity, mental health, social support). Students received incentives in the way of bonus points for maintaining health behaviors for the duration of the 12-week semester. Results: Results revealed significant increases in health-promoting behaviors. Importantly, mental health symptoms did not worsen over the course of the semester. Discussion: The study provides preliminary support for the utility of a brief self-care intervention for students in the health sciences. Translation to Health Education Practice: Future studies should examine the applicability of this intervention to students in other fields of study and through online education formats.
AB - Background: Postgraduate education is recognized as a time of intense stress. Rates of anxiety and depression are elevated among graduate students, and longitudinal studies have documented increases in clinical symptoms over the course of training. Purpose: The current study was to evaluate whether an academically sponsored self-care intervention would increase engagement in health promotion activities. The primary goal was to determine whether self-care behaviors completed in the midst of a challenging academic program would prevent the worsening of student mental health. Methods: The self-care intervention included behavior change projects designed to increase health-promoting behaviors within 4 domains (nutrition, physical activity, mental health, social support). Students received incentives in the way of bonus points for maintaining health behaviors for the duration of the 12-week semester. Results: Results revealed significant increases in health-promoting behaviors. Importantly, mental health symptoms did not worsen over the course of the semester. Discussion: The study provides preliminary support for the utility of a brief self-care intervention for students in the health sciences. Translation to Health Education Practice: Future studies should examine the applicability of this intervention to students in other fields of study and through online education formats.
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U2 - 10.1080/19325037.2017.1369199
DO - 10.1080/19325037.2017.1369199
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85031125868
SN - 1932-5037
VL - 49
SP - 40
EP - 47
JO - American Journal of Health Education
JF - American Journal of Health Education
IS - 1
ER -