Do You See What I See? College Students’ Perspective of Public Health
Advisor(s)
Dr. Natalie DiPietro Mager
Confirmation
1
Document Type
Poster
Location
ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room
Start Date
24-4-2026 12:00 PM
End Date
24-4-2026 12:50 PM
Abstract
The objective of this project was to determine college students' recognition of public health and raise awareness about the varied impacts of public health within campus and community. In this IRB-approved project, students were asked to find examples of what they considered public health. A Post-It note stating “This Is Public Health” was left to raise awareness for those passing by. Participants took a photo and shared examples through a Google Form. This form also asked questions including major of study, personal definition of public health, and perceptions of public health. Photos and answers were analyzed for common themes. Thirty-two students from various majors on campus participated. Students’ definition of public health focused on topics related to prevention, health promotion, and accessibility. Submitted photos were categorized as: essential emergency equipment (e.g., AED), health education (e.g., bulletin boards), primary prevention (e.g., condoms), wellness (e.g., bike racks), and hygiene (e.g., trash/recycling). Participants reported becoming more aware of common interactions with public health initiatives, sharing ideas similar to “Public health resources are available more frequently throughout campus than I realized and many have been under-appreciated right under my nose.” This project illustrated a foundational understanding of public health among students. It is possible for this project to be replicated at other institutions to increase students’ recognition of how often they rely on public health interventions; taking it a step further, a required course about the importance of public health for college students would be beneficial.
Recommended Citation
Brownfield, Blaine and DiPietro Mager, Natalie, "Do You See What I See? College Students’ Perspective of Public Health" (2026). ONU Student Research Colloquium. 77.
https://digitalcommons.onu.edu/student_research_colloquium/2026/Posters/77
Open Access
Available to all.
Do You See What I See? College Students’ Perspective of Public Health
ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room
The objective of this project was to determine college students' recognition of public health and raise awareness about the varied impacts of public health within campus and community. In this IRB-approved project, students were asked to find examples of what they considered public health. A Post-It note stating “This Is Public Health” was left to raise awareness for those passing by. Participants took a photo and shared examples through a Google Form. This form also asked questions including major of study, personal definition of public health, and perceptions of public health. Photos and answers were analyzed for common themes. Thirty-two students from various majors on campus participated. Students’ definition of public health focused on topics related to prevention, health promotion, and accessibility. Submitted photos were categorized as: essential emergency equipment (e.g., AED), health education (e.g., bulletin boards), primary prevention (e.g., condoms), wellness (e.g., bike racks), and hygiene (e.g., trash/recycling). Participants reported becoming more aware of common interactions with public health initiatives, sharing ideas similar to “Public health resources are available more frequently throughout campus than I realized and many have been under-appreciated right under my nose.” This project illustrated a foundational understanding of public health among students. It is possible for this project to be replicated at other institutions to increase students’ recognition of how often they rely on public health interventions; taking it a step further, a required course about the importance of public health for college students would be beneficial.