University Health Services is partnering with the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) to survey a randomly selected group of UW-Madison students about their health behaviors, risks, and needs.
Information about the survey is available here: uhs.wisc.edu/prevention/ncha2021/. UW-Madison previously participated in this survey in 2015 and 2018.
Student responses will help guide the improvement and equity of policies, programs, and services that promote health and well-being for UW–Madison students and the campus community.
“At UHS, we are committed to ensuring that we build and improve services that increase the health and well-being of our campus community,” says Courtney Blomme, Associate Director of Quality, Evaluation, and Assessment. “This survey is one way we can intentionally reach out to our students and understand things like the COVID-19 pandemic affected our students and if students feel like UW-Madison supports their wellbeing. Most importantly, we will use these survey results as a starting point for action. This includes having discussions with campus groups and within UHS to identify gaps in our services that need addressed and places where improvements need to be made.”
Approximately one in four UW-Madison students will be invited to participate in the survey, including all students of color. Invited students will receive an email on March 15. The survey is open until March 29.
“This year, we are intentionally reaching out to the majority of our BIPOC students to ensure that their voices are heard,” says Blomme.
Student participation is voluntary and confidential. Results from this survey will be shared broadly with campus this summer.
Results from UW-Madison’s 2018 participation led to UW System President Tommy Thompson proposing a $10 million increase in funding for behavioral health across the UW System, with an emphasis on increasing counseling and psychiatry staffing and diversifying staffing based on trends from NCHA survey data.
The survey will take 20 to 30 minutes to complete. After completing the survey, students will have the option to enter to be eligible for more than $2,500 worth of prizes.