Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of Salerno

Background: The relationship between health indicators and quality of life is significantly important in clinical decisions. Health policy and an individual’s quality of life are important factors contributing to an individual's decisions and preferences. University students constitute a large...

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Main Authors: Silvana Mirella Aliberti, Pierpaolo Cavallo, Mario Capunzo, Sergio Brongo, Luca Giraldi, Emanuela Santoro, Giovanni Boccia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2019-06-01
Series:Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
Online Access:https://ebph.it/article/view/12938
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author Silvana Mirella Aliberti
Pierpaolo Cavallo
Mario Capunzo
Sergio Brongo
Luca Giraldi
Emanuela Santoro
Giovanni Boccia
author_facet Silvana Mirella Aliberti
Pierpaolo Cavallo
Mario Capunzo
Sergio Brongo
Luca Giraldi
Emanuela Santoro
Giovanni Boccia
author_sort Silvana Mirella Aliberti
collection DOAJ
description Background: The relationship between health indicators and quality of life is significantly important in clinical decisions. Health policy and an individual’s quality of life are important factors contributing to an individual's decisions and preferences. University students constitute a large part of the country's young population, so a healthy lifestyle is of crucial importance for this group. The aim of the present study was to investigate healthy lifestyle habits and its relationship with academic performance in undergraduate students of the University of Salerno. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students of the University of Salerno. Data were collected by a self-report anonymous questionnaire. The field research was conducted among students of the University of Salerno in the academic years 2014/2015, from October to March. Descriptive statistics were used to describe sample characteristics. Test of proportions was used to test the differences between blocked and regular students. Analysis were conducted using STATA software. Results: A total of 519 students formed the sample. In total, 248 (47.78%) claimed to have blocks in their studies and among them 214 (86.29%) were out of course. The status of blocked students’ health promotion behaviors was significantly favorable compared to that of regular students. General health perception of the regular students yielded worse results than of the blocked students. Anxiety and depression were greater in regular students than blocked students. Conclusion: Results from the present study support our hypothesis of a relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: students with blocked had better health and lifestyle than regular students. Their attitude to resilience emerged from the ability to overcome difficult situations, but also from an attitude of arrogance despite being aware of the ability to study successfully. Probably the blocked in the studies was due to low self-esteem. Key words: university life, lifestyle, health, psychosocial factors, academic performance
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spelling doaj-art-0b7108f9a7ac493e85e660da14a472082025-08-20T02:12:53ZengMilano University PressEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health2282-09302019-06-0116210.2427/1293811201Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of SalernoSilvana Mirella Aliberti0Pierpaolo Cavallo1Mario Capunzo2Sergio Brongo3Luca Giraldi4Emanuela Santoro5Giovanni Boccia6PhD student in Traslational Medicine of Development and Active Aging - Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana” / DIPMED – University of Salerno, ItalyAssistant Professor M.D. Med/42 for General and Applied Hygiene - Department of Physics, University of Salerno and Complex Systems Institute of CNR, Rome” – ItalyFull Professor M.D. Med/42 for General and Applied Hygiene - Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana” /DIPMED – University of Salerno, ItalyAssistant Professor M.D. Med/19 for Cosmetic Surgery – Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana” /DIPMED – University of Salerno, ItalyPostdoctoral Researcher - Sezione di Igiene, Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyPhD in Traslational Medicine of Development and Active Aging, Research Assistant - Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana” /DIPMED – University of Salerno, ItalyAssistant Professor M.D. Med/42 for General and Applied Hygiene - Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana” / DIPMED – University of Salerno, Italy Università degli Studi di Salerno (Italia) Baronissi Campus, Via S. Allende - 84081 Baronissi Salerno - ItalyBackground: The relationship between health indicators and quality of life is significantly important in clinical decisions. Health policy and an individual’s quality of life are important factors contributing to an individual's decisions and preferences. University students constitute a large part of the country's young population, so a healthy lifestyle is of crucial importance for this group. The aim of the present study was to investigate healthy lifestyle habits and its relationship with academic performance in undergraduate students of the University of Salerno. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students of the University of Salerno. Data were collected by a self-report anonymous questionnaire. The field research was conducted among students of the University of Salerno in the academic years 2014/2015, from October to March. Descriptive statistics were used to describe sample characteristics. Test of proportions was used to test the differences between blocked and regular students. Analysis were conducted using STATA software. Results: A total of 519 students formed the sample. In total, 248 (47.78%) claimed to have blocks in their studies and among them 214 (86.29%) were out of course. The status of blocked students’ health promotion behaviors was significantly favorable compared to that of regular students. General health perception of the regular students yielded worse results than of the blocked students. Anxiety and depression were greater in regular students than blocked students. Conclusion: Results from the present study support our hypothesis of a relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: students with blocked had better health and lifestyle than regular students. Their attitude to resilience emerged from the ability to overcome difficult situations, but also from an attitude of arrogance despite being aware of the ability to study successfully. Probably the blocked in the studies was due to low self-esteem. Key words: university life, lifestyle, health, psychosocial factors, academic performancehttps://ebph.it/article/view/12938
spellingShingle Silvana Mirella Aliberti
Pierpaolo Cavallo
Mario Capunzo
Sergio Brongo
Luca Giraldi
Emanuela Santoro
Giovanni Boccia
Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of Salerno
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
title Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of Salerno
title_full Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of Salerno
title_fullStr Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of Salerno
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of Salerno
title_short Relationship between health, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and academic performance: a cross-sectional study at the University of Salerno
title_sort relationship between health lifestyle psychosocial factors and academic performance a cross sectional study at the university of salerno
url https://ebph.it/article/view/12938
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