Recent Veterans in College Engage in Riskier Health Behaviors

Going from combat to college is not easy. While most of their peers went into college right out of high school, most serving in the military go into that instead. While their peers are worrying about tests, getting the classes they need and parties, servicemen and women are worrying about learning how to fire their weapon, take care of it and then worry about one of their buddies dying or having their own families have to claim the flag covered casket at the airport.

When they come home, they think it should be easy to adjust to college life but they soon discover a whole different mindset with their civilian peers. They also experience a disconnected public unaware of anything going on in Iraq or Afghanistan.

If you attend or plan on attending Valencia College, there is a group there to help you find other veterans just like you on campus.

I created this video for a Motion Class and it is done with stop-motion. Why? Because sometimes it is hard finding what you want to know on the college website. This is the easiest way for you to find out how to join from your Atlas account.



Find support, find understanding and someone to talk to instead of getting involved with anything that can get in the way of your education.

This is coming from a 52 year old student in Digital Media. I waited until my daughter finished her education before I went back and it is easy to spot a veteran.

Recent Veterans in College Engage in Riskier Health Behaviors

Release Date: October 31, 2011

KEY POINTS
Veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq enrolled in college are more likely than other college students to use tobacco products, binge drink and be involved in physical fights.
College students who are also veterans are more likely to engage in strength training and refrain from using marijuana than non-veteran college students.

By Carl Sherman, Contributing Writer
Research Source: American Journal of Health Promotion
Health Behavior News Service

College students who have served in the U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely than their non-veteran peers to use tobacco, drink in excess and engage in other behaviors that endanger their health and safety, according to a study that appeared in the latest issue of American Journal of Health Promotion.

“We also found some protective behaviors where veterans showed particular strengths,” said lead author Rachel Widome, Ph.D., of the Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Minnesota.

In the study, 8,651 Minnesota college students—7813 nonveterans, 405 veterans who had served in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom or OEF/OIF) and 410 veterans who had not served in OEF/OIF—completed a survey of health-related behaviors.

More OEF/OIF veterans said they were currently cigarette smokers or had recently used smokeless tobacco, compared with non-veteran students. Higher percentages of these veterans also reported binge drinking—more than five drinks at one time—during the previous two weeks, and riding in a car driven by an intoxicated person during the prior year. Other hazardous behaviors, including fighting and carrying a weapon, were also more common among veterans, though the study notes that weapon possession may be in relation to their military service.

On the positive side, OEF/OIF veterans reported being more physically active than other students: a significantly higher percentage engaged in strengthening exercise regularly, and fewer spent over two hours a day watching TV or playing video or computer games. They were also less likely to use marijuana. Among current cigarette smokers, more OEF/OIF veterans planned to quit before graduation than non-veterans.
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