LE3 .A278 2023

2023

Fowles, Jonathon

Acadia University

Bachelor of Kinesiology

Honours

Kinesiology

Kinesiology

Mental health is a key element to well-being, yet it is something that many university students struggle with throughout their years of study. eHealth programs that focus on increasing well-being and improving healthy lifestyle factors have been identified as a possible preventative solution to these challenges. It has been noted that eHealth supports could be used to reach larger demographics of individuals, including those who are not as likely to engage with mental health support. However, eHealth programs are not always designed to take these unique differences into account. The first study looked to determine the impact of the Q-Life eHealth wellness program on university students’ well-being and resilience and identify factors relating to its effectiveness. The purpose of the second study was to understand the characteristics of those who engaged with the Console e-Health Platform (that includes the Q-life program). Results from the first study showed that the Q-Life was effective in increasing well-being (9.6%), resilience (9.0%), and almost all lifestyle behaviours. Female (78% at time 2) and Caucasian identifying individuals (93.4% at time 2) made up the majority of the sample. The second study found almost 1000 individuals provided consent to research, with the majority of the sample being female (64%). Averaged lifestyle behaviours indicated that students do not meet healthy behaviour guidelines. These findings highlight that the Q-Life is an effective strategy for decreasing the risk of students experiencing mental health challenges; however, it is important for the Q-Life program and the Console platform to continue to tailor their services to reach a larger breadth of individuals. The lack of a control group is the primary limitation with this work, and it is suggested that future research determine ways to increase uptake and maintain utilization from those who are less likely to seek out mental health support.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3991