Exploration of attributes and sources of population-health awareness among US college seniors

Abstract

Background: What do Americans think about their national health when compared to other nations? Research points out that Americans live shorter lives than the people in other rich countries. However, most Americans are unaware of either this anomaly or its underlying mechanisms. This qualitative study investigates the attributes and sources of awareness among young Americans about America’s current state of health. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews of a purposeful sample of 12 college seniors at the University of Washington, from May to October of 2019. A thematic analysis was done. We explored the level of awareness of the college seniors about 1) health fundamentals 2) America’s current health status, 3) comparison to other rich countries, and lastly, 4) sources of health information. Findings: College seniors displayed strong awareness of ‘downstream’ factors of population health conceptualized as obesity and mental disorders, stemming from a high-stress and bad-diet culture. However, awareness about ‘upstream’ factors of population health e.g. state and national policies, was significantly lacking. Western and Northern European countries and Japan were perceived as healthier nations. The college seniors obtained their health information from seven sources of awareness—online news apps, Facebook newsfeeds, educated peers, coursework, professional mentors, healthcare providers and political campaigns. Conclusion: Inadequate awareness about the country’s health status might influence Americans’ engagement around voting, activism, and state and national policy reforms. Policies should therefore be developed to modify the sources of awareness, to facilitate improved public discourse and involvement in ‘upstream’ factors for improved national health.