College surveys wellness

New database to compile health stats

By HENRI NGIMBIS

Langara College is one of three post-secondary institutions currently participating in the rollout of a new survey aimed at providing Canadian universities and colleges with student mental health statistics.

The survey, called the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey, was launched in early November. Historically, Canadian post-secondary institutions have relied on statistics compiled in the National College Health Assessment, a survey run by the American College Health Association.

However, according to the CCWS Information Package 2019-2020, “There have been concerns regarding the appropriateness and value of the NCHA in a Canadian context.”

Guy Faulkner, one of the project’s UBC based research members, said that gathering this kind of Canadian information is important.

“Interventions that promote health and wellbeing among young adults are needed,” said Faulkner. “Such interventions, however, require measurement tools that support intervention planning, monitoring and evaluation.”