Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Department

Health Science and Human Ecology

First Reader/Committee Chair

Mshigeni, Salome Kapella

Abstract

Background: Mental health illness is an urgent public health crisis impacting an estimated 1 in 3 adults aged 18-25 in the United States (NAMI, 2022). College students have seen a more than 50% increase in mental health problems since 2013 (Lipson et al., 2022). Growing rates of mental health illnesses create a greater need for mental health services. However, a National College Health Assessment conducted in 2021 found that only about 41% of college students were identified as having sought mental health services through their college campus (ACHA, 2022).

Methods: This study utilized quantitative data to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of college students towards campus provided mental health services. An online Google Forms survey was distributed through a campus-wide email at a southern California college campus. The study results were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS and Excel.

Results: A total of 320 responses were collected. Out of the 320 responses, 1 declined to participate in the study. Out of 319 responses analyzed, more than half (78%) were knowledgeable of the mental health services provided on campus. However, all demographic groups faced low utilization rates of campus provided mental health services. Black or African American college students had the lowest overall utilization rates of campus mental health services whereby 83.3% of respondents stated they had never utilized any campus mental health service. Gender differences in attitudes towards mental health services were found as data identified Men as the least willing to seek out mental health services and Females had the highest rates of positive attitudes towards mental health services as measured by agreeing with the statement “attending a campus mental health workshop would benefit my mental health”.

Conclusion: The purpose of this study was to identify the current Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of college students towards campus provided mental health services. College students demonstrated being knowledgeable of campus mental health services, however more than 50% of all demographic groups of college students stated they had never utilized any campus mental health service. These results demonstrate a need for college campuses to address and identify barriers preventing the utilization of mental health services.

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