Surveying Students in Further Education
A Snapshot of the Health Related Behaviour of Young People in FE Colleges - Data collected to Summer 2005
Data from over 1700 students; some have used our paper questionnaire and some have used the online version (www.healthsurveys.co.uk).
30% of pupils were enrolled on BTEC courses, 18% on NVQs, 22% A levels, 10% GNVQs, 10% other courses.
- STUDIES
- 47% of males and 54% of females said that they 'felt a real part of their college'.
- 34% overall said that they were included in lots of activities at college.
- 54% of males and 66% of females said that their level of effort in their course was 'high or very high'.
- 29% of students said that they had too much college work to do; 68% said it was about right.
HEALTH
- 14% of students had 5 hours or less of sleep last night; another 16% had 6 hours sleep.
- 24% said that they didn't get enough sleep for their health or to concentrate on their studies.
- 29% of males and 69% of females said that they would like to lose weight. 27% of males and 75% of females said that they had tried to lose weight at some point.
- 54% of males and 39% of females said that they don't worry much about risks.
- 38% of males and 43% of females said that they were more likely to do risky things when they have had a drink or two.
SMOKING
- 32% of males and 41% of females said that they smoke; of those smokers, 24% of the males and 15% of the females had started smoking since they had started college.
- 74% of smokers said that they would like to give up; 37% said they would like help to give up.
- 69% of the smokers have less than 10 cigarettes a day.
ALCOHOL
- 45% of students drink alcohol regularly.
- 69% of students said that people their age drink alcohol 'to get drunk'; 63% said ' to feel relaxed'; 50% said 'because their friends do'.
- 14% of students said that they thought the amount that they personally drink is harmful to their health. 12% said that they didn't know if it was.
DRUGS
- 10% of students use cannabis weekly, another 9% use cannabis less than once a week.
FITNESS & EXERCISE
- 37% of males and 59% of females said that they didn't think they took enough exercise for someone their age to keep healthy.
- 80% of females and 68% of males said that they would like to take more exercise.
- 43% of males and 13% of females said they play sport weekly. 24% of students go to clubs, 43% go to the pub at least once a week.
MONEY
- 57% of students have a regular paid job.
FOOD & DIET
- 66% of students usually have a main meal prepared at home each day, 7% said take-away/supermarket.
- 37% said they thought their diet was unhealthy, 18% said that they 'didn't know'.
- 70% said they would like to eat more healthily.
SEXUAL HEALTH & RELATIONSHIPS
- 26% of students said that their knowledge about sex was OK but they would still like to know more. 71% of students said that they knew pretty much all they needed.
- 30% of the males and 24% of the females said that they had had sex with no one.
- The last occasion they had sex, 19% of students used no form of contraception, 78% of males and 37% of females said they used a condom, 17% of males and 45% of females said that the pill was the method they used.
- 29% of students said they didn't know where to get free condoms. 23% of students said that they were able to get condoms free of charge at college.
When asked what effective methods college could do to improve aspects of students health,
- 24% said flyers or leaflets would be helpful.
- 21% said posters/ stickers in toilets;
- 17% said via the college website.
For more informatio contact Angela Balding (Survey Manager)