When Eric Pietsch had an ingrown toenail last year, he was happy with the treatment he received at Olin Health Center.

And if he receives one of the 5,000 surveys distributed this week by the health center and the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, he would say so.

“They gave me medications and they were really helpful,” the urban and regional planning junior said. “It’s a great resource because it’s the only health facility on MSU’s campus.”

Olin officials are distributing the National College Health Assessment Survey to learn more about college students health habits and how they can help improve them.

Health center officials began mailing the surveys Thursday and will continue through this week.

The survey is being distributed at about 100 universities. Officials are hoping to get at least half the surveys returned.

“I’d definitely fill out the survey,” Pietsch said. “I think it’s especially good for students who do use Olin. If it doesn’t help out in the short run, the survey can at least help facilitate in further research.”

Questions on the survey refer to topics such as sleeping patterns, exercise, sexual health, relationships and other activities involved in students’ everyday lives.

“This will allow us to know where we should put our efforts,” Olin health educator Dennis Martell said.

Results from the survey distributed in the spring of 2000 showed 42 percent of students had significant back pain and 30 percent reported they had colds or the flu, which caused them lower grades in certain classes. Fifteen percent said the Internet and computer games affected their grade performance and 22 percent reported sleep difficulties.

Martell said he is unsure what the results will be because the survey only has been distributed at MSU once in the past.

“This survey is good for baseline reasons,” he said. “We never knew how many people had back pain until the 2000 survey. This time we’ll know whether that number is increasing or decreasing.”

Karen Clark, survey manager for the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, thinks student response will be good because they won’t be bothered with midterm tests and other pressures.

“The last time we distributed the survey, we didn’t get a good response because it was right after spring break and students had to deal with midterms,” she said. “I know students are asked to do a lot of things, but we want them to know the more responses we get, the better our data will be, which will benefit everyone in the long run.”