Director, Student Life, The University of Alabama

Dissertation Title

Insuring Graduation: An Analysis Between Student Health Insurance and Graduation

Dissertation Abstract

Most college students have access to basic health services through their campus’ college health program. Unfortunately, students who lack health insurance may be limited in their access to health services beyond the acute care provided, which may manifest in a myriad of adverse outcomes; ultimately resulting in withdrawal from college without graduating. Student health insurance plans (SHIPs) are high-quality, affordable insurance plans specially designed to meet this need. This study utilized survival analysis to examine the temporal nature of college graduation behavior, as it related to student health insurance status. The results of this study show no significant relationship between student health insurance and a student’s risk of graduating. Based on these findings, health care and higher education administrators should carefully consider mandating student health insurance policies until more data is available. Additionally, the need for additional studies on the empirical relationship between student health-related factors, academic performance, and graduation are noted.