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During a recent event hosted by Medicat and ConcernCenter, data from 216 colleges and universities across the country gave us a glimpse into the top concerns students are searching for.

According to ConcernCenter, students’ top concerns are:

1. Food: Many students struggle to afford nutritious meals, leading to issues like hunger, malnutrition, and poor concentration.
2. Housing: The lack of affordable housing options forces some students to live in substandard conditions or face homelessness.
3. Anxiety: More students than ever live with anxiety. Stigma and logistical barriers to treatment can keep students struggling.
4. Stress: The pressures of coursework, finances, and adjusting to living independently can take a significant toll on college students.
5. Mental Health: It’s interesting that this was one of the top concerns searched by students. As such a large umbrella term for many struggles students are facing, it’s hard to know exactly what kind of support students are looking for.

The top two concerns outlined above are related to basic human needs. Schools nationwide are expanding Basic Needs Hubs to combat food insecurity and homelessness amongst their campus communities. However, stigma related to seeking support for basic needs remains strong, making it imperative for colleges and universities to make sure students can easily and discreetly access information about basic needs support available to them.

Additionally, mental health concerns remain top of mind. According to the 2023 Healthy Minds Study, most college students meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem. Thus, it’s not surprising that students are seeking mental health support at higher rates than ever, placing unsustainable demand on counseling resources.

This is where effective campus resource promotion becomes imperative.

Together with ConcernCenter, Medicat has released a guide designed to inspire higher ed health, wellness, and counseling professionals to think outside the box when it comes to promoting the wealth of resources offered to students.