Preliminary key statements from student survey (Module 1).

• Students are increasingly affected by psychological stress due to the corona pandemic.
• Various health-promoting offerings exist, but some of them are underutilized.
• The need for stronger networking, bundling of offers and an increase in the level of awareness of the offers and actors is clear.
• in particular, raising awareness of and destigmatizing mental illness and corresponding offers is important.
• Students are burdened by a variety of personal (e.g. identity issues, detachment issues, depression, insecurities) and study-related (study conditions, study financing) concerns.
• The development of a student health management system and the expansion of preventive and resource-strengthening services are recommended.

The full publication of Arnold, J. & Hollederer, A. (2023): "Mental Health of Students from the actors´point of view - Expert Interviews at the University of Kassel" can be found under the heading "Presentations and Publications".

• 80.5 % of the students rated their health status as good to very good
• significant differences between men and women became apparent (84.4 % vs. 78.6 %)
• Women were more likely to feel severely limited (3.2% vs. 2.6%) or moderately limited (9.6% vs. 5.7%) in daily activities for 6 months due to health conditions
• striking are the reported prevalence rates of mental illness in the past 12 months, which were significantly higher among women (25.3% vs. 15.4%)
• 15.1% of students reported that their study load was much lower than specified in the various study regulations
• using logistic regression analysis, a significantly increased odds ratio was found for students with moderate to severe health limitations and a much lower study load (OR: 1.56 and 2.81)

• Inferring a strong association between health and study load is possible
• The need for more health promotion and health management for students with health impairments or disabilities arises.

A. Hollederer 's (2023) full publication: "Health and study load among students: a cross-sectional health study at the University of Kassel" can be read under the heading "Presentations and publications".

• the review provides insight into the empirical evidence on the effects of disability-related services, health promotion, examination modifications, social and academic integration on the academic success of students with disabilities.
• German- and English-language studies from 2008 to 2022 were included in the analysis.
• contrasting effects of the interventions on academic success were found.
• qualitative studies show that students rated the interventions as important for on-campus adjustments and academic success. Disability-related services are important for student achievement and retention.
• quantitative studies, on the other hand, lack sufficient sample size and causal relationships among variables.
• significant effects on academic success were shown by measures of health promotion, and social and academic integration. Students with mental and physical impairments benefit from health promotion interventions. Work-related difficulties can be reduced and social integration improved.
• Mentoring programs have been shown to be targeted interventions in the qualitative studies, as have peer and academic support.
• Students with autism disorders, learning disabilities, and visual impairments have benefited the most from the interventions.
• practical implications of the findings for higher education staff and disability-specific services to support the promotion of academic success for students with disabilities.

The full publication of Römhild, A. & Hollederer, A. (2023): "Effects of disability-related services, accommodations, and integration on academic success of students with disabilities in higher education. A scoping review." can be read in the "Presentations and Publications" section.

• Student survey at the University of Kassel shows that students with disabilities and chronic illnesses more often perceive barriers in their studies.
• 3% of the students surveyed stated that they had an officially recognized disability (90 students), 26% stated that they had a chronic illness (869 students).
• Students with health impairments experience greater and more persistent burdens in their studies.
• The burdens are manifold: they affect the organization of studies, participation in courses and examinations, the financial burden and social integration.
• the greatest problems in social interaction were found among students with hearing impairments and mental illnesses.
• Students with illness and disability tended to rate their social contacts and academic integration in their studies worse - especially students with invisible impairments.
• Students with disabilities and chronic illness are more affected by financial problems and are significantly less able to draw on their own or family resources. They finish their studies with a higher financial burden.

• A range of support services and provisions exist at universities, as well as legal rights that are underutilized. Support services can have a positive impact on the course of study
• Satisfaction with the offers and disadvantage compensation is very high.
• 40% of the surveyed students with a chronic illness and half of the students with an officially recognized disability received health-related social benefits. Slightly more than one-fifth were medical rehabilitation services. Students with a chronic illness were less likely to use participation benefits in comparison.
• Overall, social and participation benefits were received by only a small proportion of the students concerned. In particular, students with invisible impairments did not use them.
• Although the University of Kassel was aware of the wide range of counseling and support services, only a minority took advantage of them. More specific offers of the Studierendenwerk were less known and less used in comparison.
• the offers were used more frequently by students with sensory and movement impairments than by fellow students with mental or other illnesses.
• only about 2% of the students with a chronic illness and 9% with an officially recognized disability at the University of Kassel applied for a disadvantage compensation in the admission procedure to study. 3 % applied for a disadvantage compensation during their studies.
• There is a strong correlation between the use of counseling for disadvantage compensation and the application.
• Many different reasons are given for non-use: Fear of stigmatization, problems with teachers and fellow students, lack of information, and procedural problems with implementation.

• Recommendations for practice include the derivation of quality standards for the optimization of application procedures for disadvantage compensation and the improvement of awareness of the information and counseling services.

The complete publication by Hollederer, A., Römhild, A. and Welti, F. (2022): "Promoting participation in studies - results of a student survey" can be read in the section "Presentations and Publications".