Adolescent-Rated Health and Intention to Attend College: Variation by Race/Ethnicity and Levels of Health Status

Quantify the relationships between adolescent self-reported health and college intention in a diverse sample including Asians. Data were used from 3,737 adolescents ages 12–17 who completed the 2003 California Health Interview Survey. Self-reported intention to attend college/university was compared to other plans. Multivariate logistic models predicting college intention by health status (poor/fair, good, or very good/excellent) were performed with the entire sample and for each race/ethnicity separately. Age, poverty, gender, rural residence, and parental college education were controlled. Participants were 44 % white, 36 % Hispanic, 11 % Asian, and 9 % black. Overall, 10 % reported poor/fair health, 30 % good health, and 60 % very good/excellent health. Whites were the most likely to report very good/excellent health and Hispanics least likely (χ²(6) = 11.85; p < 0.01). Eighty-one percent had college plans, which also varied by race/ethnicity with Asians most likely to report college intentions and Hispanics least likely (χ²(3) = 3.97; p < 0.05). In the overall multivariate model, adolescents in poor/fair health (OR: 0.53; 95 % CI: 0.34–0.83) and good health (OR: 0.59; 95 % CI: 0.45–0.78) were significantly less likely to plan on college compared to those in very good/excellent health. Variation was seen by racial/ethnic group. For whites and blacks, only good health significantly predicted less college intention (compared to very good/excellent health) while only poor/fair health significantly predicted less college intention for Hispanics and Asians. Very good/excellent health in adolescence was associated with greater college intention compared to both fair/poor health and good health, but this relationship varied by race/ethnicity.