This study examined the experience of health education and assessed the needs for health education in the students attending a university located in Inchon. The primary subjects were 749, who were selected from each college by using systematic random sampling. Of these students, 457 subjects responded to the self-reported questionnaire, revealing the response rate of 61.01%. As for the analysis of the data, percentages, chi-square test, and correlation and regression analyses were adopted.
The experience rate of health education was 39.02% and the rate was higher in women than in men. The students experienced the education about smoking and first-aid most frequently. whereas they experienced stress management much less frequently. Stress management was given the highest priority among the subjects of health education which they proposed to need. Physical health states of the students were better than their mental health states. The women tended to eat meals irregularly compared to men. Those students living not with their family nor with their relatives were more likely to eat meals twice a day compared to those who live at their homes. Those who recognized the need for health education showed the willingness to join health education to be given. The willingness was also observed in those who had better self-evaluated mental health, regardless of the recognition of the need for health education.
These findings revealed both objective and subjective needs for educating management of mental health. Education on healthy eating habit should be given particularly to women students and those who do not live with family nor with relatives. When educating for the management of mental health, there should be strategies to facilitate the participation of the students who do not have good mental health.
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