The Prevalence and Characteristics of Wellness Programs and Centers at Two-Year and Four-Year Colleges and Universities

Abstract

Because the lifestyles of college students can often lead to unhealthy consequences, campus wellness programs can be instrumental in encouraging students to improve their health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of campus wellness programs and centers. A web-based survey was developed and emailed to wellness representatives at 241 colleges and universities in the nine states that make up the Central District Association of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (CDA-AAHPERD). Findings indicated that 64.7% of two-year institutions and 78.9% of four-year institutions had a wellness program. In addition, 68.6% of two-year institutions and 84.0% of four-year reported having a wellness center. The type of institution had no significant difference to the prevalence of wellness programs or centers. The prevalence of wellness centers may be increasing on college campuses. Respondents reported that they will be expanding or building new wellness facilities in the next five years. Twenty-seven percent of two-year institutions and 33.3% of four-year institutions will be expanding their wellness centers in the next five years. Building wellness centers also appears to be a development on college campuses as 16.7% of two-year institutions and 22.2% of four-year institutions reported that they have plans for new wellness centers within the next five years. Two-year institutions were compared with four-year institutions concerning the services, associations, and activities provided by wellness programs. Chi-square analysis and Fisher's exact test were performed and found more similarities than differences.