A coordinated health survey puts student health on the agenda.

Students in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim will October 11th be sent a survey aimed at mapping out the health and satisfaction of Norwegian students.

–The goal is to find out more about the situation, so that we can take necessary action in order to improve student health, Even Aleksander Hagen, deputy of The Welfare Council in Oslo.

Together with students from Bergen and Trondheim he has helped TNS Gallup put together the survey.

Greater impact

This is the first time the student foundations of Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim join forces in the process of investigating the health and satisfaction of the students. Up until now this has only been locally. The goal is to give the student foundation greater impact when facing politicians.

–The Department of Knowledge has wanted such a survey before. We hope that this can help put student health on the politician's agenda. If we are able to illuminate the needs of the students, we may be granted money to specific measures, Hagen says.

Substance use, satisfaction and housing

The survey looks, among other things, on student economy, the use or misuse of substances, housing, mental health and learning environment. It also asks how The Student Health Care is used be the different students. The final report will be released in January 2011.

–This will give us a general picture of the health and satisfaction of the Norwegian student. We will also have the opportunity to compare the health of the students studying at the different institutions, Hagen says.

The survey is supposed to be run periodically over time, so that one can trace the development of student health. The project costs about 200 000 NOK, and is paid for by the student foundations in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim.

–Our hope is the The Department of Knowledge will be willing to support the project in the future, Hagen says