scholarly journals Health Behaviors of Higher Education Students from 7 Countries: Poorer Sleep Quality during the COVID-19 Pandemic Predicts Higher Dietary Risk

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-30
Author(s):  
Chen Du ◽  
Megan Chong Hueh Zan ◽  
Min Jung Cho ◽  
Jenifer I. Fenton ◽  
Pao Ying Hsiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Sitting Time ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Dietary Risk

Health behaviors of higher education students can be negatively influenced by stressful events. The global COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to characterize and compare health behaviors across multiple countries and to examine how these behaviors are shaped by the pandemic experience. Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in universities in China, Ireland, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands and the United States (USA) were recruited into this cross-sectional study. Eligible students filled out an online survey comprised of validated tools for assessing sleep quality and duration, dietary risk, alcohol misuse and physical activity between late April and the end of May 2020. Health behaviors were fairly consistent across countries, and all countries reported poor sleep quality. However, during the survey period, the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the health behaviors of students in European countries and the USA more negatively than Asian countries, which could be attributed to the differences in pandemic time course and caseloads. Students who experienced a decline in sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic had higher dietary risk scores than students who did not experience a change in sleep quality (p = 0.001). Improved sleep quality was associated with less sitting time (p = 0.010). Addressing sleep issues among higher education students is a pressing concern, especially during stressful events. These results support the importance of making education and behavior-based sleep programming available for higher education students in order to benefit students’ overall health.

scholarly journals The Effects of Sleep Quality and Resilience on Perceived Stress, Dietary Behaviors, and Alcohol Misuse: A Mediation-Moderation Analysis of Higher Education Students from Asia, Europe, and North America during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 442
Author(s):  
Chen Du ◽  
Megan Chong Hueh Zan ◽  
Min Jung Cho ◽  
Jenifer I. Fenton ◽  
Pao Ying Hsiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Dietary Behaviors ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Relationship

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the already high levels of stress that higher education students experience. Stress influences health behaviors, including those related to dietary behaviors, alcohol, and sleep; yet the effects of stress can be mitigated by resilience. To date, past research studying the connections between dietary behaviors, alcohol misuse, sleep, and resilience commonly investigated singular relationships between two of the constructs. The aim of the current study was to explore the relationships between these constructs in a more holistic manner using mediation and moderation analyses. Methods: Higher education students from China, Ireland, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and the United States were enrolled in a cross-sectional study from April to May 2020, which was during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic for most participants. An online survey, using validated tools, was distributed to assess perceived stress, dietary behaviors, alcohol misuse, sleep quality and duration, and resilience. Results: 2254 students completed the study. Results indicated that sleep quality mediated the relationship between perceived stress and dietary behaviors as well as the relationship between perceived stress and alcohol misuse. Further, increased resilience reduced the strength of the relationship between perceived stress and dietary behaviors but not alcohol misuse. Conclusion: Based on these results, higher education students are likely to benefit from sleep education and resilience training, especially during stressful events.

scholarly journals Relationship Between Financial Stress and Overall Dietary Risk Behaviors Mediated by Sleep Quality and Duration

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1026-1026
Author(s):  
Chen Du ◽  
Pao Ying Hsiao ◽  
Mary-Jon Ludy ◽  
Shengfang Song ◽  
Robin Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Poor Sleep Quality ◽  
Short Sleep Duration ◽  
Short Sleep ◽  
Dietary Risk

Abstract Objectives Higher financial stress (FS) is associated with undesirable dietary behaviors. However, the relationships are not well characterized among higher education students, and investigations into why these relationships exist are lacking. As FS influences sleep while sleep influences dietary behaviors, sleep may serve as a mediator in these relationships. The current study examined whether poor sleep quality and short sleep duration mediate the relationship between FS and overall dietary risk behavior (ODRB) among higher education students in the U.S during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled students at three large universities in the U.S. between April-May 2020. Eligible students filled out online surveys comprised of validated tools to assess FS, sleep quality and duration, and ODRB. ODRB was measured using the Starting the Conversation questionnaire, which measures eating frequencies of fast foods, fruits, vegetables, soda and sweet tea, high quality proteins, chips and crackers, dessert, and solid fat and provides a global score of ODRB. A higher score indicates more risk behaviors. Multivariate linear regressions were conducted for unadjusted and adjusted estimates, and mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS Macro in SPSS 26. Results A total of 1280 students completed the survey. Higher FS was associated with higher ODRB scores (P = 0.002). The mediation analyses revealed that higher FS was associated with poorer sleep quality (P < 0.001) and shorter sleep duration (P = 0.043). In addition, poorer sleep quality (P = 0.013) and shorter sleep duration (P = 0.005) were both associated with higher ODRB scores. Further, poor sleep quality (B = 0.012, 95% CI 0.002, 0.022) and short sleep duration (B = −0.011, 95% CI −0.007 to −0.0003) mediated the relationship between FS and ODRB scores. Conclusions FS and ODRB scores were positively correlated, and this relationship was associated with poor sleep quality and short sleep duration. These results suggest that improving sleep quality and duration may serve as key components of interventions that reduce dietary risk behaviors among U.S. higher education students when experiencing high FS. Funding Sources The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Michigan AgBioResearch, and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Faculty Incidental Research Support award.

Mental health issues and sleep quality of Indian employees and higher education students during COVID-19 lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 193
Author(s):  
B.L. Radhakrishnan ◽  
E. Kirubakaran ◽  
R.V. Belfin ◽  
Sudhakar Selvam ◽  
K. Martin Sagayam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Mental Health Issues

scholarly journals 0188 Mood Disorders Moderate the Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Leadership Development for U.S. Army Officer Candidates During ROTC Advanced Camp

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A74-A74
Author(s):  
J Choynowski ◽  
M Pirner ◽  
C Mickelson ◽  
J Mantua ◽  
W J Sowden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Mood Disorders ◽  
Process Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Medicine Research ◽  
The Us ◽  
Rotc Cadets

Abstract Introduction U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets are college students training to be Army Officers. During a month-long capstone course (Advanced Camp), Cadets are rated on their leadership ability. Little work has been done to determine predictors of leadership ability at Advanced Camp. This study examined the effect of poor sleep and mood disorders -- two prevalent factors among college students -- on leadership ability. Methods Metrics on leadership, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression, were assessed in 159 ROTC Cadets (22.06±2.49 years; 23.90%female) at Days 1 (Baseline), 14 (Mid), and 29 (Post) of Advanced Camp. Leadership ratings were determined by ROTC Instructors over the course of Advanced Camp (1–5 score; higher score indicates poorer leadership). Predictors were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The relationships between the predictors and leadership scores were tested using linear regression. The interaction between mood disorders and sleep quality on leadership was tested using SPSS Process (Model 1). Results Poorer sleep quality at the Post time point (reflecting the prior 2 weeks of sleep) predicted poorer leadership (B=.05,p=.03), while sleep quality from Baseline (B=.03,p=.14) and Mid (B=.01,p=.67) did not. Higher anxiety and depression scores from all time points predicted poorer leadership (p-values<.03). There was an interaction: higher anxiety and high depression predicted poorer leadership only in the context of poor sleep quality (not good or average sleep quality) [anxiety: R2=.04,F(1,159)=6.04,p=.02; interaction: R2=.03,F(1,155)=5.30,p=.02]. Conclusion The current study identified a relationship between sleep quality and leadership ratings in ROTC cadets. This relationship was moderated by anxiety and depression. ROTC instructors should encourage ROTC Cadets to take advantage of sleep opportunities at Advanced Camp in order to maximize leadership potential. Support Support for this study came from the Military Operational Medicine Research Program (MOMRP) of the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC). Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the US Army or of the US

scholarly journals Assessing University Students' Critical Online Reasoning Ability: A Conceptual and Assessment Framework With Preliminary Evidence

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitri Molerov ◽  
Olga Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia ◽  
Marie-Theres Nagel ◽  
Sebastian Brückner ◽  
Susanne Schmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Assessment Framework ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Preliminary Validation

Critical evaluation skills when using online information are considered important in many research and education frameworks; critical thinking and information literacy are cited as key twenty-first century skills for students. Higher education may play a special role in promoting students' skills in critically evaluating (online) sources. Today, higher education students are more likely to use the Internet instead of offline sources such as textbooks when studying for exams. However, far from being a value-neutral, curated learning environment, the Internet poses various challenges, including a large amount of incomplete, contradictory, erroneous, and biased information. With low barriers to online publication, the responsibility to access, select, process, and use suitable relevant and trustworthy information rests with the (self-directed) learner. Despite the central importance of critically evaluating online information, its assessment in higher education is still an emerging field. In this paper, we present a newly developed theoretical-conceptual framework for Critical Online Reasoning (COR), situated in relation to prior approaches (“information problem-solving,” “multiple-source comprehension,” “web credibility,” “informal argumentation,” “critical thinking”), along with an evidence-centered assessment framework and its preliminary validation. In 2016, the Stanford History Education Group developed and validated the assessment of Civic Online Reasoning for the United States. At the college level, this assessment holistically measures students' web searches and evaluation of online information using open Internet searches and real websites. Our initial adaptation and validation indicated a need to further develop the construct and assessment framework for evaluating higher education students in Germany across disciplines over their course of studies. Based on our literature review and prior analyses, we classified COR abilities into three uniquely combined facets: (i) online information acquisition, (ii) critical information evaluation, and (iii) reasoning based on evidence, argumentation, and synthesis. We modeled COR ability from a behavior, content, process, and development perspective, specifying scoring rubrics in an evidence-centered design. Preliminary validation results from expert interviews and content analysis indicated that the assessment covers typical online media and challenges for higher education students in Germany and contains cues to tap modeled COR abilities. We close with a discussion of ongoing research and potentials for future development.

scholarly journals SLEEP QUALITY AND SLEEP HABITS IN STUDENTS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Almeida ◽  
◽  
Carlos Albuquerque ◽  
Madalena Cunha ◽  
Anabela Antunes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Education Student ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Sleep Habits ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Health Objectives

Introduction: The student stage is marked by many changes that will affect different aspects of young youth life, including changes in sleep patterns. Sleep is known to play an active role in the overall development of students, mainly because of its restorative functions and an insufficient number of hours of sleep can be associated with consequences on physical and mental health. Objectives: To analyze the factors that interfere with higher education students’ sleep quality. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was carried out drawing on a selection of articles published between 2012 and 2020, following the method proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute and according to the Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyzes (PRISMA). This selection was carried out using PubMed, B-On and SCIELO search engines. The review was based on 5 articles whose methodological quality was found to be undeniable. Results: Results show that, on the whole, students suffer from a poor quality of sleep. This situation is commonly associated with factors such as being a higher education student worker, shift work, or caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco use, among others. Conclusions: In view of the outcomes, it became clear that higher education students need to be made more aware of the importance of sleep habits and daytime sleepiness, and to improve their health literacy. They need to be informed and trained in these areas so they may reduce or at least prevent certain risk behaviours that increasingly threaten their sleep quality and overall health.

The Diverse Voices Conference

2017 ◽  
pp. 190-201
Author(s):  
Chaunda L. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Diversity Education ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Education Students ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
The Public ◽  
History Of ◽  
Education Courses

As diversity higher education courses and programs continue to increase on university campuses in the United States, research remains scant on the role that diversity education conferences can play in furthering higher education students' diversity learning beyond the classroom. The aim of this chapter is to introduce the Diverse Voices Conference as a successful higher education diversity initiative in Michigan that has for seventeen years provided a safe environment for students to learn more about and speak out in support of valuing all aspects of human diversity. This chapter will highlight 1) the history of the Diverse Voices Conference; 2) the components of the Diverse Voices Conference; 3) the lessons learned regarding sponsoring the Diverse Voices Conference on a university campus in Michigan that is free and open to the public; along with 4) future directions for expansing the conference and its visibility beyond its current state.

Cultivating Global Citizens for the Global Good

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie E. Yeaton ◽  
Hugo A. Garcia ◽  
Jessica Soria ◽  
Margarita Huerta
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Global Citizenship ◽  
The United States ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Global Citizen ◽  
Global Citizens ◽  
The World ◽  
English Dominant

Being cognizant of international matters and understanding of cultures other than one's own are standards that indicate global citizen readiness. Cultural competency and international mindfulness inherently fosters opportunities for dialogue and developing relations between countries. Higher education students in the United States are instructed in an English-dominant environment, a hindrance to their global citizenship preparedness. A facet of global citizenship bids competency in a language other than English and limiting students to one language will isolate them from the rest of the world. The question therefore unfolds around the benefits of bi/multilingualism and the accessibility of language particularly in self-proclaimed worldly universities. Ultimately, cultural and developmental language learning in United States is neglected, birthing a second language illiteracy crisis in higher education.

scholarly journals The Benefits of Closed-Loop Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Subjective Sleep Quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Robinson ◽  
Natalie Bryant ◽  
Joshua Maxwell ◽  
Aaron Jones ◽  
Bradley Robert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Slow Wave ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Slow Wave Sleep ◽  
The United States ◽  
Alternating Current ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Subjective Sleep Quality ◽  
Subjective Sleep ◽  
Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation

Background: Poor sleep quality is a common complaint, affecting over one third of people in the United States. While sleep quality is thought to be related to slow-wave sleep (SWS), there has been little investigation to address whether modulating slow-wave oscillations (SWOs) that characterize SWS could impact sleep quality. Here we examined whether closed-loop transcranial alternating current stimulation (CL-tACS) applied during sleep impacts sleep quality and efficiency. Methods: CL-tACS was used in 21 participants delivered at the same frequency and in phase with endogenous SWOs during sleep. Sleep quality was assessed in the morning following either verum or sham control stimulation during sleep, with order counterbalanced within participants. Results: Higher sleep quality and efficiency were found after verum stimulation nights compared to control. The largest effects on sleep quality were found immediately following an adaptation night in the laboratory for which sleep quality was reduced. Conclusions: Applying CL-tACS at the same frequency and phase as endogenous SWOs may offer a novel method to improve subjective sleep quality after a night with poor quality sleep. CL-tACS might be helpful for increasing sleep quality and efficiency in otherwise healthy people, and in patients with clinical disorders that involve sleep deficits.

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