Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2009
Capstone Advisor
Fiona Chew, Ph.D.
Honors Reader
Dessa K. Bergen-Cico, Ph.D., CHES
Capstone Major
Television-Radio-Film
Capstone College
Public Communications
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
yes
Honors Categories
Professional
Subject Categories
Film and Media Studies | Radio | Television
Abstract
This case study of Syracuse University’s health promotion and student health behavior provides data that may be employed to understand and influence future, functional health literacy. Key components of functional health literacy—self efficacy, independence, institutional services, social influences, gender, etc.—rise to the surface, and are the focus of this analysis. This study was approved by the University’s Institutional Review Board for the Fall 2008 term, and received funding through the Crown Wise Scholarship. The research subjects include a convenience sample of 26 full-time, college seniors. The subjects were divided into four focus groups to provide qualitative data on 21 topics that address students’ decision-making specific to physical activity and nutrition. Results from this study strive to use findings to help educators and administrators better develop successful campus health promotion programs. The report offers a resource for planning future strategies and programs by: involving people in planning, incorporating data analysis, and assessing factors that affect implementation. Recommendations include targeting information on gender and age, evaluating feedback mechanisms, using social framing, measures specific to institutions, a strategy for using campus resources, and a call for self-produced student materials. Discussed strategies can be expanded beyond the Community Readiness Model, instead using more precise theories to implement future programs and plans. Colleges and universities can use similar methods to analyze student functional health literacy and improve campus community health promotion readiness.
Recommended Citation
Wichman, Thomas D., "A qualitative assessment of college-students’ functional health literacy: a case-study at Syracuse University" (2009). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 477.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/477
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Included in
Film and Media Studies Commons, Radio Commons, Television Commons
