Susan Ernst

The rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation have all increased among U.S. college students. The utilization of mental health services has also risen. Transgender/gender diverse (TGD) young people experience high rates of mental health concerns. Little is known regarding TGD students needing mental health services, if they are accessing them, and the differences in who accesses these services. This pilot study (N = 121), conducted online from 2021 to 2022, explores the mental health of the TGD students and the mental health services at a Midwest public university. Of the total sample, 68.1% described their mental health as being fair or poor. Disabled students were significantly more likely to self-report a negative mental health status (76.7%) than their non-disabled peers (58.9%). Nonbinary individuals were also significantly more likely to indicate negative mental health (79.5%) than their binary counterparts (47.6%). Notably, 6.6% of students with current depression diagnoses, 7.1% with current anxiety diagnoses, 11.8% with recent thoughts of NSSI, and 3.3% with recent suicide attempts had not accessed mental health services. This study indicates the need for more accessible TGD affirming mental health care for TGD students, and opportunities for innovation with interventions to better support TGD college and university students.

Describe a model for incorporating campus-based Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) services. Describe differences in patient satisfaction and utilization of follow-up resources between patients seeking SANE services at a university health center (UHC) compared to an emergency department (ED). Participants: Patients seeking SANE services at the UHC or ED of a large Midwestern university from January 2016-April 2018. Fifty-eight participants completed a satisfaction survey, including 28 students. Twenty-eight participants completed a follow-up survey, including 15 students. Methods: A Qualtrics survey assessed: 1) satisfaction following the SANE exam and 2) use of follow-up services 4–6 weeks later. Descriptive analyses, exact logistic regressions, and OLS regressions were calculated. Results: There were no differences in satisfaction, services received, or follow-up services accessed between patients at the UHC and ED, including between students. Conclusions: Campus-based SANE services meet the expectations of survivors and do not differ significantly from services at the ED.