JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH, VOL. 58, NO. 6 Student Reception, Sources, and Believability of Health-Related Information Matthew Yiu Wing Kwan, MSc; Kelly P. Arbour-Nicitopoulos, PhD; David Lowe, MD; Sara Taman, MD; Guy E. J. Faulkner, PhD Abstract. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the health topics students received information about, how stu- dents obtained health-related information, and perceived believ- ability of those sources. Participants and Methods: Students (N = 1202) were surveyed using the National College Health As- sessment (NCHA) of the American College Health Association. Results: Nearly half (46%) of the sample reported not receiving any information, whereas only 0.5% received information on all health topics. The Internet was the most common source of health-related information, but, conversely, was perceived as the least believable source. Health center medical staff and university health educators were perceived to be the most believable sources. Conclusions: Future practice at the university setting should focus on deliver- ing health information through believable messengers utilizing the most commonly reported sources of information. This may have implications towards how students shape their health-related social cognitions and subsequent behaviors. Keywords: college health, health education, health message T here is recognition that university and college students are an important target population for health promotion efforts—some have even suggested that their health is an “important and neglected public health problem.” 1 The university or college campus can be seen as a critical setting for health promotion for many of the reasons that schools are. For example, the university is a defined community that may be conducive to the establishment of community norms and polices that promote health, and university students may be particularly receptive to educational programmes. 2 There is growing diversity in the ethnic and socioeconomic fabric of many universities and a significant proportion of young Mr Kwan, Dr Arbour-Nicitopoulos, and Dr Faulkner are with the Department of Exercise Science at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dr Lowe and Dr Taman are with the Department of Health Services at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Copyright © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC adults enter higher education. In 2004, the percentage of the 18- to 21-year-old population enrolled in postsecondary education was 29% in the UK, 32% in Canada, 42% in the United States, and as high as 62% in Korea. 3 There is evidence that students do report receiving health information in the university or college setting. One of the first nationally representative surveys in the United States examined the percentage of students reporting having re- ceived health information on specific topics from their col- lege or university, with a focus on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). 4 Approximately 78% of students reported receiving preven- tion information on at least one health topic, and 6% reported receiving information on all health topics (tobacco use, alco- hol and drug use, violence, injury and safety, suicide, preg- nancy, sexually transmitted diseases [STDs], AIDS/HIV, di- etary behaviors, nutrition, and physical activity and fitness). Alcohol and drug use prevention was the most commonly received information (49.2%). Sources of health information were not available for these behaviors (other than AIDS/HIV) and the believability or credibility of these sources was not assessed. In order to develop effective health promotion interven- tions, researchers and practitioners can draw upon a knowl- edge mobilization (KM) perspective 5 that emphasizes the ability to identify believable messengers and effective chan- nels (methods) for conveying health messages. Simply, do students receive information from the university regarding health behaviors, how do students typically receive infor- mation about health behaviors, and is information received through specific channels believable? Escoffery and colleagues 6 surveyed 743 students at 2 uni- versities to examine their Internet use and health-seeking be- haviors. They found that 74% of the sample received health information from the Internet. More than half of the par- ticipants wanted to find health information on the Internet, which led the authors to highlight the potential of the Internet 555