NCHA

The American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment III b (NCHA) is a survey designed to assess student health behaviors.

The California State University Office of the Chancellor (CSU) is conducting a systemwide NCHA implementation. Through the NCHA, the California State University Office of the Chancellor (CSU) and Cal State LA campus stakeholders hope to learn more about student outcomes, including student engagement, student learning and student retention. We hope that our research will help us better understand student health and improve wellness programs.

An invitation email has been sent to all Cal State LA students. The NCHA is completed online and typically takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. Participation in the survey is completely voluntary and confidential. Students may answer only some questions, or choose not to participate in the survey at all. Any reports or publications based on this research will use only group data and will not identify students or any individual as being affiliated with this project.

All students who submit a survey by the submission deadline will be automatically entered in a random drawing for campus bookstore gift cards. A total of twenty $25 gift cards will be awarded. In addition, students may benefit by knowing they have assisted in providing accurate information regarding health and wellness behaviors on our campus.

The minimal risks associated with participation in the NCHA include psychological discomfort. Some students may experience psychological discomfort due to the content of certain questions. For example, there are questions regarding illegal substance use, interpersonal violence, and sexual behavior. Students may refrain from answering any question that makes them uncomfortable. If needed, care and resources are available through the Cal State LA Student Health Center (SHC) at 323.343.3302 or www.calstatela.edu/studenthealthcenter.

Loss of confidentiality is a minimal risk. Strategies used to protect student privacy and confidentiality include data encryption and high-end firewall systems. Reports resulting from this study will not identify individual students as participants. The data shared with the Student Health Center, Cal State LA community and the CSU will not contain any unique identifiers. Reports, publications and presentations based on this research will only use group data.

You may contact the study’s investigators if you have questions or concerns about the survey:

• Principal Investigator: Marisa Marcarello, MPH, MSN, FNP-C, Associate Director, Cal State LA Student Health Center: 323.343.6547

• Co-Investigator: Joanna Gaspar, MS, MPH, Senior Health Educator, Cal State LA Student Health Center: 323.343.3341