Design and Evaluation of a Data-Driven Youth Well-Being Dashboard: A Pre-Post Mixed-Methods Study in Indian Colleges

Background: Well-being is a state similar to health that incorporates a sense of meaning in an individual's life. This study introduces the Youth Well-Being Dashboard, a digital platform for enhancing well-being for individuals aged 18-24. Methodology: Over six months, a pre-post mixed-methods study was conducted with 200 college students (n=100 intervention; n=100 control) in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The intervention group used a dashboard delivering personalized, real-time feedback across five domains; controls received static PDFs. Outcomes were measured using validated tools (DASS-21, GPAQ, FANTA, Ryff’s Scale, GSE) and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Results: The intervention group experienced a 30% reduction in anxiety, a 25% increase in physical activity, and an 18% improvement in dietary diversity all statistically significant (p<0.01). Notably, improved well-being strongly correlated with higher academic performance (r=0.41) and greater social engagement (r=0.36). User satisfaction was high (SUS: 82/100), and operational costs were low (₹420/user/month), demonstrating both effectiveness and scalability. Conclusions: A personalized digital dashboard significantly improves youth well-being and related outcomes, offering a scalable, cost-effective solution for integration into educational and public health programs in India.