Health at Skidmore
Jennifer Burden, ScD, CHES
Director of Health Promotion
jburden@skidmore.edu
580-5684
Skidmore Student Data
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Mental health
Physical Activity
Sexual Assault and
Relationship Violence –
prevalence and perceptions
Body Image
Disordered Eating and
Eating Disorders
Nutrition
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Sex
“Hooking up” / The
“hookup culture”
Tobacco Use
Alcohol and drug
use/abuse
Relationships with parents
– associations with drug
and alcohol use
Alcohol and Drug Use
Alcohol vs. Other Drugs
Percent of students who have
used in past month
Alcohol
84%
Marijuana
32%
Cocaine
6%
Amphetamines (diet pills, speed)
5%
Sedatives
3%
Hallucinogens
2%
Opiates (heroin, smack)
1%
Inhalants
Less than 1%
Designer drugs
Less than 1%
CORE, 2006
Age of First Consumption
At what age did you first use alcohol (beer, wine, liquor)?
40
35
30
25
20
Males
Females
15
10
5
0
Never Under 12 to
12
13
CORE, 2006
14 to
15
16 to
17
18 to
20
21+
Percent of Students
Alcohol consumption among first year
students
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
94
74
53
31
Ever had
alcohol?
Ever been
drunk?
Drunk in
Drunk at
past 30 days? Skidmore?*
•No significant differences by participation in athletics, pre-orientation programming, or gender
•This is an increase from 26% of students in 2006 (not statistically significant)
Freshman Orientation Survey, 2008
Drinking Patterns Over Time
45%
40%
43%
41%
35%
33%
30%
25%
20%
27%
22%
26% 25%22%
15%
10%
29% 28%
28%
17%
14%
22%
14%
9%
5%
0%
First Years
Non-Drinkers
Sophomores
Light Drinkers
Alcohol Survey, Fall 2007
Juniors
Moderate Drinkers
Seniors
Heavy Drinkers
Among students who did
not drink on Friday
night…
60%
Among students who had
5+ drinks on Friday
night…
60%
60%
50%
50%
40%
40%
45%
30%
30%
34%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
6%
0 drinks 1-4
5+
on Sat drinks drinks
on Sat on Sat
Alcohol Survey, Fall 2007
37%
18%
0%
0 drinks 1-4
5+
on Sat drinks drinks
on Sat on Sat
Alcohol Abuse Prevention Efforts
BASICS
Services
MyStudentBody
Education
Annual
Research
Surveys
Parental
Policy
Notification
NIH
RecomCulture
mendations
Disordered Eating
EAT-26 Scoring
3
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2
1
0
0
0
26 questions
A total score on the EAT-26 that exceeds 20 is
indicative of a possible eating disorder.
The EAT-26 is not a diagnostic tool, but identifies
the presence of symptoms that are consistent with a
possible eating disorder
EAT – 26 at Skidmore
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452 female Skidmore students completed the EAT26 in February of 2008.
15.8% had scores high enough to indicate a probable
eating disorder
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Our athletes are significantly LESS likely to have high
scores on the EAT
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6.6% of female athletes
18.3% of female non-athletes
Our dance majors do not differ significantly from the
general female student body
Weight and Self Image
Weight
Category
Percent of females who believe that
it would be good for their health if
they lost weight
Percent of females who would feel
better about who they are if they lost
weight
Overweight
95%
96%
Normal
weight
38%
73%
Underweight
7%
20%
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Of those with potential eating disorders, 95.5% believe that
they would feel better about who they are as a person if they
lost weight
Among those with healthy eating habits, 61.8% believe that
they would feel better about who they are as a person if they
lost weight.
Unhealthy Weight Loss Strategies
14%
12%
13%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
7%
5%
4%
2%
2%
0%
3%
0%
Diet Pills
Induced
Vomiting
No food
24-hrs
Laxatives
to lose wt
Females
Males
Disordered Eating
Health Services,
Services
Nutritionist & Counseling
Conferences
Education
Annual
Research
Surveys
Collaboration
Policy
Annual
Culture
Events
Sleep
Sleep
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Less than 25% of students get 8 or more hours of
sleep on average through the week.
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65.2% of students report that they often have trouble
falling asleep
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The average is about 6 hours per night
The #1 reason cited = Anxiety, worry, stress (86.6%)
82% of students report that it is generally difficult
for them to wake up in the morning
During the 2006-2007 academic year
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28.9% used over the counter meds to help them sleep
11.2% used prescription sleep medications
Employees and Sleep
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Only 14% of employees get at least 8 hours of
sleep per night
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76.6% sleep between 6 and 7 hours per night
9.5% sleep fewer than 6 hours per night
Mental Health
Depression
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To assess depressive symptoms, students were asked
if they experienced any of the following for at least a
two week period during the 2006-2007 academic
year
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Feelings of excessive, persistent lack of energy (34%)
Diminished ability to think/concentrate (26%)
Feelings of excessive, persistent restlessness (25%)
Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day (24%)
Diminished pleasure in activities all/almost all activities (24%)
Difficulty sleeping nearly every day (21%)
Feelings of worthlessness (20%)
Significant weight changes without attempts to change wt (12%)
Recurrent thoughts of suicide or death (7%)
Depression
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52.6% of students reported at least one
symptom of depression
45.8% of students reported two or more
symptoms of depression
14.5% reported five or more symptoms of
depression
More on Depression
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Among students who experienced depressive
symptoms
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36% reported that symptoms negatively impacted
their participation in extracurricular activities
45% reported that symptoms negatively impacted
their social relationships
42% reported that symptoms negatively impacted
their academic performance
Linkages…
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Depressive symptoms are highly correlated
with:
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Sleeping less than 7 hours per night (p<0.01)
Poor academic performance:
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Those with GPA’s under 3.0 are twice as likely to
experience bouts of depressive symptoms
Stress
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54% of students worry that they will not be able to
keep up with work in classes
13% of students worry that they might not graduate
on time
28% of students feel that they do NOT have strong
social connections at Skidmore
55% of students feel that it is difficult for them to get
everything done that they need to accomplish
76% of students find college to be stressful
Employee Stress
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40% of employees reported high/above
average stress levels during the academic year
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This falls to 10% during the non-academic year
Those reporting fewer than 8 hours of sleep per
night were significantly more likely to report high
levels of stress than those sleeping 8 or more
hours per night
Those working over 40 hours per week were also
significantly more likely to report high levels of
stress
Mental Health
National Depression
Screening
Day
Education
Counseling Center
Services
PHQ-9 &
Annual
Research
Surveys
PHQ-9
Policy
Annual
Culture
Events
Sexual Safety
Condom Use
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Among sexually active students
(approximately 75% of the student body)
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Only 35.4% reported that they ALWAYS use a
condom when having intercourse
58% reported that they used a condom the last
time they had intercourse
Why No Condom
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“I'm in a monogamous relationship and on the pill.”
“It was the second time in one morning, the first time we
did, the second we did not for no specific reason.”
“Didn't have one “
“Put one on towards the end”
“I was drunk and forgot to ask and it didn't seem as
though one was readily available.”
“It feels better without a condom. I hoped/ doubted she
had anything.”
“I was virgin, guess he didn't think it necessary, plus
kinda drunk”
Sexually Transmitted Infections
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45.5% of sexually active respondents have NEVER
been tested for STI’s
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77% do not feel that they are at risk
8% are frightened of the tests
9% do not know where to get tested
3% are worried that parents or friends might find out
about the testing
Among those who have been tested, 9% have
received a positive STI test
Percent of students who have
Had a one night stand
51.9%
Been in a “friends with benefits”
relationship
Made out with someone who you knew
for less than 24 hours
Had oral sex with someone who you knew
for less than 24 hours
Had sexual intercourse with someone who
you knew for less than 24 hours
56.4%
67.4%
32.5%
26.2%
Drugs and Alcohol
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63.4% of students reported that they have had
sex with someone who they were not in a
committed relationship with. Of these:
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57% were under the influence of alcohol or drugs
the last time this occurred
“I usually hook up with someone for the first
time when I'm drunk and then we have sober
encounters afterwards.”
From hook up to monogamy
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55.3% of students have had a hook up become
a committed relationship
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“Most relationships naturally begin as flings or
hookups and develop into more committed
relationships.”
“We were first friends, then we hooked up, then
we became friends with benefits, and eventually
stared going out.”
Physical Activity
Use of Skidmore Services & Facilities
Student participation
intramurals
24%
19%
on an athletic team
used woods trails
53%
used pool
38%
used cardio equip
75%
used weight rooms
61%
taken PA course
37%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Physical Activity
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The current recommendations for physical activity:
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Moderate physical activity - at least 30 minutes on 5 or
more days per week
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Vigorous physical activity - at least 20 minutes on 3 or
more days per week
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25% of Skidmore students meet this recommendation
29% of Skidmore student meet this recommendation
7.5% of Skidmore students meet the recommendation for
BOTH moderate and vigorous physical activity
Over 75% of Skidmore employees reported that they
engage in physical activity.
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Of these, 70% report levels of exercise that meet or
exceed the national recommendations.
Reasons for Inactivity
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Among the students who did not exercise in the
week preceding the survey:
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69.6% said they did not have enough time to exercise
46.4% said that exercise is not convenient
46.4% said that they lack will power for exercise
30.4% said that they feel self conscious of how they look when
exercising
30.4% said that they don’t have someone to exercise with
Other reasons given for not exercising included lack of interest,
bad weather, lacking energy, not having needed equipment, and
not enjoying physical activity.
Health and Academic Success
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Academic failure, poor attendance rates, poor
grades, and poor concentration are consistently
linked to:
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Health-related factors such as hunger, physical and
emotional abuse, and chronic illness
Health-risk behaviors including substance use, violence,
and physical inactivity
In addition:
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Academic success is an excellent indicator for overall
well-being and is predictive of adult health outcomes
Health-related behavioral choices made during young
adulthood are predictive of adult health outcomes
In a class of 20 students:
Over 10 engaged in binge drinking at least once in the past 2 weeks
Three are struggling with depression
Six feel that they do not
have strong social
connections at Skidmore
In a class of 20 students:
15 slept less
than 7 hours
last night
Only 5 got enough physical activity
this week
In a class of 20 students:
9 did not use a condom the last time they had sex
Nearly 10, despite being sexually active, have never been tested for STI’s
In a class of 20 students:
Nearly 3 have been victims of sexual assault
One is in an abusive relationship
Two are struggling with eating disorders
Campus Resources
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Health Promotions Staff:
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Jennifer Burden, ScD,
CHES, Director
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Kate Rose Bobseine, MPH,
Prevention Coordinator
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jburden@skidmore.edu
580-5684
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kchild@skidmore.edu
580-8256
The Counseling Center
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580-5550
The Center for Sex &
Gender Relations
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580-5555
Health Services
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kbobsein@skidmore.edu
580-5484
Kate Child, MA, Health
Educator
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Third floor of Case Center
Weekend cell # 256 - 1439
Campus Safety
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Emergencies: 580-5566
Non-emergencies: 580-5567
Skidmore Data Available






Mental health
Physical Activity
Sexual Assault and
Relationship Violence –
prevalence and perceptions
Body Image
Disordered Eating and
Eating Disorders
Nutrition





Sex
“Hooking up” / The
“hookup culture”
Tobacco Use
Alcohol and drug
use/abuse
Relationships with parents
– associations with drug
and alcohol use