of college and university students university health services centre at the university of ibadan in nigeria psychological counseling and other mental healthcare services post-secondary institutions are faced with the challenge of attempting to prevent, identify and treat mental illnesses among college students. some challenges arise from fragmented services, reactive responses, piecemeal funding and high resource needs, among other potential factors. a report by the ontario college health association found that college students were more than twice as likely to report mental illness symptoms and elevated stress levels than non-college students. this growing demand for on-campus resources may be related to increased numbers of nontraditional students, such as students with disabilities. as a result, smaller institutions, which tend to have fewer mental health professionals and greater budgetary constraints, may experience enhanced resource strain and greater challenges in addressing the mental health concerns of their students. however, when looking at these services, culture needs to be taken into account, since traditionally under represented students are less likely to seek psychological counseling as opposed to their classmates. the interventions used by many of these american universities, use a more western approach to service delivery which tends to inadequately address the mental health concerns of the culturally diverse communities that make up these universities. while the goal of post-secondary institutions is not necessarily to provide psychiatric interventions, an increasing number of academic institutions strive towards establishing guidelines and developing on-campus mental healthcare services. although elements of screening, identification, and treatment services exist across post-secondary institutions, the accessibility of and available resources is variable. the student counselling centre is most commonly identified as responsible for mental health care and support, with electronic self-referrals via online counselling centre websites becoming increasingly common. moreover, the use of internet-based technology typically involves cognitive behavioural therapy, one of the most commonly employed mediums targeting depression and anxiety among the student population. associated with significant positive outcomes, this intervention appears to be promising for students in university settings. some campuses are working towards establishing meaningful connection with aboriginal, international and lgbt students to increase social and mental health support among vulnerable student populations. for instance, e-health interventions linking traditionally under represented students with culturally connected providers is a potential service that academic institutions could consider implementing. many counseling centers are reorienting towards prevention and providing opportunities for personal skills development that are unique and separate from traditional methods of talk therapies. the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in the college setting has been a recent topic of exploration. a randomized control trial examined the efficacy of an internet-based mindfulness training program (imind) and an internet-based cognitive-behavioral training program (icbt) in promoting mental health outcomes among hong-kong college students. each 8-week long program consisted of eight 30- to 45-minute sessions involving didactic readings, experiential learning (e.g. guided meditation) and daily life applications (e.g. developing self-awareness). both programs showed potential in improving mental well-being, psychological distress and life satisfaction from pre- to post-assessment. assessing college health there are various aspects linked to college health concerns, and solutions are available on college campuses. medical professionals have found a higher rate of health issues in young adults on college campuses. adolescents can develop health issues, and physical and behavioral trait changes with the transition to college campuses. various health concerns occur, such as sexual health, chronic diseases, disorders, stress, and substance use. colleges strive to support the development of young adults throughout their years on campus. despite their busy schedules, it is a priority to have resources available to students. healthcare professionals and counselors play significant roles in developing students who seek help with issues they struggle with. they can be positive outlets for students working through new environments they have transitioned to. counselors have recognized that students come to colleges with diverse ranges of perspectives and backgrounds that they bring with them. while counselors see similar themes among students, each patient's topic differs as they transition from adolescents to adults. their services are accessible to students either in person or online. influence of online services the internet has been a dominant resource for college students regarding health information. "it offers online health information and service delivery through various formats, including text-based health information, emails, chatrooms, and listservs." a wide variety of online services are readily available for students who need help with access, availability, and high-cost rates. these services can provide solutions for students seeking assistance in non-traditional ways, such as face-to-face. "of the 514 students who reported seeking health information on the internet, 204 (36.7%) felt that retrieving health information online improved how they took care of their health a lot or some." help-seeking is "the process of actively seeking out and utilizing social relationships, either formal or informal, to help with personal problems" (p. 8). overall, online health services have had positive outcomes for college students. through research, nine studies have evaluated online health experiences. ninety percent of participants were satisfied with the service, 86% would continue to use it or use it again, and 72% would recommend it to a friend. physical activity, recreation, nutrition and other health-related campus services pennsylvania state university health services college represents a key period to engage and influence numerous health behaviors among young adults, including promoting physical activity. regular physical activity has been recognized as fundamental to the improvement of both physical and psychological functioning. promoting physical activity among college and university students can provide an opportunity to encourage long-term active habits. approximately half or more of university students in the united states, canada, and china were categorized as insufficiently active. seminars and counselor-led workshops dealing with recommendations and strategies to maintaining an active lifestyle appear to be effective means of preserving or enhancing healthy behaviours during the transition into university life. studies have also suggested that information about the benefits of physical activity could have a greater effect on college students’ general health, mental health, and happiness when positively framed. nirsa comprises and supports leaders in collegiate recreation the college years are a potential period for nutrition-related interventions, as eating behaviours among college students may carry over to later life. healthy or poor nutritional habits among college students may stem from the interplay of several components, including personal, sociocultural and economic factors. low-intake of fruits and vegetables among students may result from relatively low amounts of these foods in traditional dishes and unfamiliarity with reading and comprehending food labels. in addition to these sociocultural and educational barriers, other factors such as such as the cost of living and food availability at college are cited as hurdles even for motivated students. on the other hand, factors such as individual knowledge and awareness as well as parental support are cited as having a positive influence in promoting healthy eating among students. a variety of social change campaigns have been explored as options to promote healthy eating in the college setting. ensuring easy availability of fruits and vegetables on-campus through farmers' markets or the cafeteria consistently providing healthier alternatives are potential strategies. utilizing promotional point-of-purchase messages in the cafeteria is another method that may encourage students to make healthier choices. national association of college and university food services (nacufs) can be significant partners in achieving key performance indicators in college health. relationship to adolescent medicine further information: adolescent medicine tranquada student services center at the claremont colleges in southern california in the united states, the subspecialty of college health is closely affiliated with adolescent medicine. many adolescent medicine fellowships include rotations in college-based student health clinics and many adolescent medicine physicians work in college health clinics. college students are generally at the latter edge of the age range of pediatrics in the united states.