Changes in college students’ health behaviors and substance use after a brief wellness intervention during COVID-19

Burden of alcohol and other substance use and correlates among undergraduate students at Busitema University in rural Eastern Uganda after COVID-19 lockdown

Use of alcohol and other substances remains a major health concern among higher learning institutions. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of alcohol and other substance use among students at Busitema University in Eastern Uganda. A cross sectional survey was conducted among 658 undergraduate students using a questionnaire consisting of Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Tool and participant sociodemographic and clinical factors. Logistic regression was used to explore the associations. Two hundred sixty-five (40.3%) students reported ever using alcohol and 158 (24.0%) had used in last 3 months. Seventy-four (11.2%) students reported ever use of other substances including tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, stimulants sedatives and hallucinogens and 36 (5.5%) had used within the recent 3 months. After controlling for potential confounders, recent alcohol use was associated with engaging in romantic relationship (odd ratio (OR) = 1.9, P value (P) = 0.045) while having chronic medical conditions was protective (OR = 0.3, P = 0.031). On the other hand, recent use of other substances was 7 times higher among males (OR = 7.0, P = 0.008) compared to females while fourth year of study was protective (OR = 0.05, P = 0.011). Although alcohol use is a worsening challenge among university students, use of other substances is also highly prevalent after COVID-19 lockdown. There is need for universities to identify students with above factors and design interventions to address them in order to prevent the likely undesirable outcomes of alcohol and substance use.

Preliminary Efficacy of a Multi-Behavioral Zoom-Based Peer Health Coaching Intervention in Young Adults: A Stepped Wedge Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study was to test the preliminary efficacy of a Zoom-based peer coaching intervention on health and risk behaviors in young adults. A convenience sample of young adults was recruited from one U.S. university (N = 89; 73.0 percent female). Participants were randomized to one of two coaching session sequences within the framework of a stepped wedge randomized controlled trial. One experimental sequence received a control condition and a single coaching session, and the second sequence received two sessions. The intervention was a 1-hour program delivered by peer health coaches in a one-on-one setting on Zoom. The program consisted of a behavior image screen, a consultation, and goal planning. Behavioral assessments were completed after each condition. Mixed-effects models were employed to test for behavior differences after coaching sessions compared with the control condition (no coaching session) adjusting for baseline scores. Participants reported significantly higher levels of vigorous physical activity (b = 750 metabolic equivalent of task minutes, p < 0.001), a lower frequency of e-cigarette use (b = -2.1 days; p < 0.001), and a lower risk of e-cigarette susceptibility after two sessions (relative risk = 0.04, p = 0.05), and higher odds of using stress reduction techniques after one session (odds ratio = 1.4, p = 0.04). A nonsignificant trend was observed for longer weekday sleep (b = 0.4 h/night, p = 0.11) after two coaching sessions. The Zoom-based peer health coaching intervention may be an efficient way to improve vigorous physical activity, lower e-cigarette use and susceptibility, and facilitate the use of stress reduction techniques in young adults. The results observed from this preliminary study warrants further investigation using powered effectiveness trials.

Association between enjoyment, physical activity, and physical literacy among college students: a mediation analysis

Background

Physical literacy and enjoyment are important factors that affect physical activity.

Purpose

This work studies whether physical activity enjoyment (PAE) mediates the association between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and physical literacy (PL) among college students.

Methods

Chinese college students were recruited using the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument Scale (PPLI-SC), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. The SPSS Hayes process macro (model 4) was used to analyze the direct impact and the indirect impact. Pearson correlation, independent sample t-tests, and linear regression were used to analyze the relationship between indicators.

Results

The study surveyed 587 boys and 1,393 girls with a total of 1,980 valid questionnaires. MVPA, PAE, and PL of boys were significantly higher than girls (p < 0.01). The correlation analysis showed that MVPA, PL, and PAE were significantly correlated (p < 0.01). The results showed the direct effect of PL on MVPA was still statistically significant (β = 0.067, p < 0.05) after adding PAE variables; PAE has a positive effect on MVPA after controlling PL (β = 0.170, p < 0. 01). PL has a positive effect on PAE (β = 0.750, p < 0.01). PL impacted MVPA as explained by a 65.58% mediating effect of enjoyment.

Conclusion

Physical activity enjoyment mediates the relationship between PL and MVPA among college students. This means that even high PL among student may not imply that they are physically active if they do not enjoy physical activity.

Bidirectional associations of physical activity, sleep, and self-reported mental health in young adults participating in an online wellness intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the bidirectional associations of physical activity (PA), sleep, and mental health in young adults participating in an online wellness intervention from October 2021 to April 2022.

Methods

Participants were a sample of undergraduate students from one US university (N = 89; 28.0% freshman; 73.0% female). The intervention was a 1-h health coaching session that was delivered either once or twice by peer health coaches on Zoom during COVID-19. The number of coaching sessions was determined by random allocation of participants to experimental groups. Lifestyle and mental health assessments were collected at two separate assessment timepoints after each session. PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Weekday and weekend sleep were assessed by two one-item questionnaires and mental health was calculated from five items. Cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs) examined the crude bidirectional associations of PA, sleep, and mental health across four-time waves (i.e., T1 through T4). To control for individual unit effects and time-invariant covariates, linear dynamic panel-data estimation using maximum likelihood and structural equation modeling (ML-SEM) was also employed.

Results

ML-SEMs showed that mental health predicted future weekday sleep (β = 0.46, p < 0.001) and weekend sleep predicted future mental health (β = 0.11, p = 0.028). Although CLPMs showed significant associations between T2 PA and T3 mental health (β = 0.27, p = 0.002), no associations were observed when unit effects and time-invariant covariates were accounted for.

Conclusion

Self-reported mental health was a positive predictor of weekday sleep and weekend sleep positively predicted mental health during the online wellness intervention.

Development of an Online Mind-Body Physical Activity Intervention for Young Adults during COVID-19: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the implementation of an online mind-body physical activity (MBPA) intervention and physical activity (PA), stress, and well-being in young adults during COVID-19. The participants were a sample of college students (N = 21; 81% female). The MBPA intervention was organized in four online modules that were administered asynchronously for 8 weeks with three separate 10 min sessions per week. The intervention components consisted of traditional deep breathing, diaphragm mindful breathing, yoga poses, and walking meditation. Objective PA behaviors were assessed using wrist-worn ActiGraph accelerometers, and stress and well-being data were collected using validated self-report instruments. A 2 (sex) × 3 (time) doubly multivariate analysis of variance test with a univariate follow-up showed that the % of wear time in light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was significantly higher at the end of the intervention compared to baseline (LPA mean difference = 11.3%, p = 0.003, d = 0.70; MVPA mean difference = 2.9%, p < 0.001, d = 0.56). No significant differences were observed for perceived stress and well-being, and there was no moderating effect of sex. The MBPA intervention showed promise, as it was associated with higher PA in young adults during COVID-19. No improvements were observed for stress and well-being. These results warrant further testing of the intervention's effectiveness using larger samples.

Research on the Relationship between Physical Literacy, Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior

During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students' health-related physical activity and physical literacy aroused widespread concern. This study evaluated the relationship among physical literacy (PL), sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); we further explored whether LAP and SB mediated the association between PL and MVPA.

METHODS

This study was based on a cross-sectional survey of Chinese college students. The Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument Scale (PPLI-SC) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) were used to investigate the PL, MVPA, LPA, and SB.

RESULTS

There were 2996 valid questionnaires with 829 boys and 2167 girls. The MVPA, LPA, and PL of boys were significantly higher than girls, while the SB values were significantly lower in girls (p&nbsp;< 0.01). The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between the two indexes except for SB and LPA. Path analysis shows that PL directly, significantly, and positively affects MVPA. PL reduces SB (β = -0.085, p < 0.001) and increases LPA (β = 0.097, p < 0.001). The total mediation effect accounted for 14.014%, and the mediation effects of SB and LPA accounted for 4.417% and 9.597%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

LPA and SB partially mediated the relation between PL and MVPA. SB and LPA partially explain the impact of PL on MVPA. The findings suggest that managing SB and improving LPA could play a significant indirect role in increasing the positive effect of PL on MVPA and that increasing the opportunities for LPA increased the MVPA for Chinese college students.

Evaluation of an Online Course Promoting Health and Wellbeing for University Students and Employees

Published studies dealing with health promotion activities, such as the improvement of physical activity and healthy eating, for workers and students prove the effectiveness of these preventive interventions. The consequent benefits include better prevention of cardiovascular risk and an improvement in quality of life. Considering this, an intervention aimed at promoting healthy eating and non-sedentary lifestyles has been implemented within an Italian university: the aim of the present research is to evaluate its effectiveness. The intervention consisted of a targeted asynchronous e-learning two-hour course on healthy eating and non-sedentary lifestyles. The attendants were 2004 university students and employees. We conducted two surveys before and after the training intervention, and, through the responses obtained, we evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention. We applied different statistical methods, including unpaired t-tests and nonparametric tests, principal components and cluster analysis. Our results indicate that the post-training knowledge has been significantly improved, compared to that pre-training (7.3 vs. 8.7, p < 0.001). Moreover, the whole sample showed an improved awareness of the importance of healthy behaviors, and perception of the University as an institution promoting a healthy lifestyle. Through the principal components analysis, we identified a unidimensional latent factor named “health and behaviors”. The cluster analysis highlighted that the sub-group reporting the lowest scores at the survey before the training was the one with the highest improvement after the intervention. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Italian study testing, before and after a health promotion intervention, the knowledge and the attitudes and behaviors towards healthy lifestyles of a group of students and workers. Moreover, we also evaluated the pre- and post-intervention perceived health status, as well as the level of engagement of the attendants, with respect to their colleagues and management in an educational institution promoting wellbeing. The conclusions of our study support the need for further adoption of health promotion training interventions, similar to the one we performed, in order to improve healthy eating and non-sedentary behaviors among workers and students.