National College Health Assessment

The American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment (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, CSU and Cal State LA campus stakeholders hope to learn more about student outcomes, including student engagement, student learning and student retention. Survey results will help us better understand student health; and improve mental health services, sexual health resources, stress support, and other wellness programs and initiatives.

An invitation email will be sent to currently enrolled students (the survey opens April 6). 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.

Survey Lounges

The NCHA can be completed anywhere and anytime a student is comfortable. Our survey lounges offer a space where students can complete the NCHA in the company of fellow students. Tasty snacks will be served. Lounge participants who submit surveys by the survey deadline (April 26, 2026) are eligible for the prize raffle.

Lounge Details

Time

• 12:00-3:00 p.m. (all dates)

Dates

• April 9
• April 13
• April 20

Location (All Dates)

• University Library Community Room (Library North, B131)

Random Prize Drawing

All students who submit a survey by the April 26, 2026, submission deadline will be automatically entered in a random prize drawing for the following prizes:

• $29 Regal Cinema movie bundles (25 to be awarded)
• $20 Barnes and Noble gift cards (25 to be awarded)
• $15 Campus Dining gift cards (25 to be awarded)
• $10 Cal State LA accessories (25 to be awarded)

PSA Video Contest Prizes

Students who create and submit PSA videos to promote NCHA participation by the April 6, 2026, deadline will have a chance to win an Amazon gift card:

• 1st Place: $75
• 2nd Place: $50
• 3rd Place: $25

Personal Satisfaction

In addition, students may benefit by knowing that by sharing their voice they help drive health and wellness initiatives at Cal State LA.

Do you like making videos, being creative, or simply enjoy attention? Then this contest is for you. The Student Health Center is holding a NCHA PSA contest. For details and rules, see the Promotional PSA Contest section below.

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 for eligible students through the Cal State LA Student Health Center (SHC) at 323.343.3302.

• In emergencies, call 911 if you can, text if you can't.
• Students who become ineligible for Student Health Center services should seek care from personal/outside healthcare providers. Helpful resources can be found at Hotlines and Resources.

Loss of confidentiality is a minimal risk. Strategies used to protect student privacy and confidentiality include randomly generated response ID numbers, 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/Interim Director, Cal State LA Student Health Center: 323.343.6547
• Co-Investigator: Allie Halpern, MA, RD, CHES, Senior Health Educator, Cal State LA Student Health Center: 323.343.3361
• Co-Investigator: Joanna Gaspar, MS, MPH, Compliance Officer, Cal State LA Student Health Center: 323.343.3341