American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment Spring 2008 Reference Group Data Report (abridged): the American College Health Association.

Assessing and understanding the health needs and capacities of college students is paramount to creating healthy campus communities. The American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) is a survey that ACHA developed in 1998 to assist institutions of higher education in achieving this goal. The ACHA-NCHA contains approximately 300 questions assessing student health status and health problems, risk and protective behaviors, and impediments to academic performance. The spring 2008 reference group includes ACHA-NCHA data from 80,121 students at 106 institutions of higher education. Officials at participating institutions administered the ACHA-NCHA to all students, randomly selected students, or students in randomly selected classrooms. ACHA collected data between January and May 2008. Results from the spring 2008 reference group (N=80,121) are presented. These data expand the understanding of the health needs and capacities of college students.