Impairment of functioning and substance use in a Latino population

Health-Related Behaviors and Academic Achievement Among College Students

PURPOSE

College students' academic achievement has crucial implications for their future success. Students' health may be a key determinant of academic performance, but more research is needed to understand this relationship.

DESIGN/SETTING/SUBJECTS

Secondary analysis of the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III pre-COVID-19 Spring 2020 dataset. N = 39 146 undergraduates at 75 higher education institutions (14% mean response rate, comparable with other large-scale national college health surveys).

MEASURES

Self-reported grade point average (GPA) and 33 health behaviors in the categories of dietary behavior, physical activity, sedentary behavior, substance use, sexual risk behavior, violence-related behavior, mental health, and sleep behavior.

ANALYSIS

Weighted cross-tabulations examining the association between GPA and health behaviors; multinomial logistic regressions assessing if behaviors predicted GPA, controlling for year, sex/gender, and race/ethnicity. Individual GPA categories were also compared to a D/F referent group.

RESULTS

There were gradient trends across GPA categories for A through D/F (18 behaviors) or A through C (12 behaviors) (P < .001). Each health behavior predicted GPA differences (P < .001), except heroin use (P = .052). The A GPA group was significantly different from the D/F GPA group for 27 behaviors (P < .001). In general, protective behaviors corresponded with higher GPAs and most risk behaviors were associated with lower GPAs.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a link between numerous health behaviors and academic performance. Stakeholders invested in college students' health and academics should engage in mutually beneficial strategies to safeguard students' current and future well-being and success.

Substance use among Latino international and domestic college students

While the United States hosts the greatest number of international students in the world, Latino international students remain understudied, especially in regards to substance use. The present study tests differences between Latino international and Latino domestic undergraduates in how they use alcohol, cigarette, and illicit drugs. Participants (N = 786 students, 386 international and 400 domestic, 65% female, mean age = 21.2 years) were a subsample of Latino students surveyed in the 2009 American College Health Association's revised National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA II). Results indicate that Latino international students reported more alcohol use than Latino domestic students, but had similar use of cigarettes and illicit drugs. Among international students, gender, participation in Greek life, cigarette use, marijuana use, and year in school were associated with alcohol use. Similarly, gender, cigarette use, and marijuana use were significantly related to international students' binge drinking. Prevention and research implications are discussed.