Estilo e qualidade de vida de estudantes de cursos de graduação na área da saúde

Abstract

Introduction: University students face extensive study hours and academic demands that can impact their style and quality of life, affecting student well-being, academic performance and increasing susceptibility to chronic noncommunicable diseases. Objective: To analyze the style and quality of life of undergraduate students in Nursing, Medicine and Dentistry, as well as the factors associated with these conditions. Method: Cross-sectional study with 1.321 students, using a sociodemographic and academic questionnaire, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II), WHO Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQoL-Bref) and Jenkins Sleep Scale. Collection carried out in April 2024, at a higher education institution in Goiás, Brazil. Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.4 ± 4.8 years. The majority were white, Catholic and lived within 3 km of the university. Only 5.6% had children, 25.6% worked and 29.8% had a minimum family income of up to four months. More than half (52.9%) moved to another city to study, 20% entered through quotas and 54.3% attended high school in public schools. The main comorbidity was psychiatric disorder, and 88.3% had sleep disorders. The average HPLP-II was 2.5, decreasing progressively favorable lifestyle, with greater deficits in “Stress Management”, “Physical Activity”, “Nutrition” and “Health Responsibility”. The average WHOQoL-Bref was 65.4, classifying quality of life as unfavorable, with the most affected domains being “Psychological”, “Physical”, “Environment” and “Social Relationships”. Medicine students obtained better style and quality of life scores than those studying Dentistry and, mainly, Nursing. Living alone and being in the intermediate periods of the course were associated with healthier lifestyles, while low income was related to worse conditions. Lack of religious affiliation, psychiatric disorders and greater distance to university were linked to worse quality of life. Obesity was the main factor associated with sleep disorders. In the qualitative analysis, students associated a healthy lifestyle with “Physical Activity”, “Healthy Eating”, “Adequate Sleep”, “Financial and Social Well-Being” and “Emotional and Mental Balance”. Regarding quality of life, the main components mentioned were “Physical Health”, “Emotional Balance and Well-Being”, “Healthy Food and Habits”, “Freedom and Leisure” and “Security and Stability”. Conclusion: The style and quality of life of health students are impacted by academic and socioeconomic factors. The low quality of life, associated with the high prevalence of psychiatric illnesses and sleep disorders, reinforces the need for interventions to promote health and emotional support. Institutional policies are essential to encourage healthy habits, improve general health and prevent chronic diseases. This Master's Completion Work is the result of the stricto sensu Professional Master's in Family Health Postgraduate Program (PROFSAÚDE).