Lifestyle, Quality of Life, and Health Promotion Needs in Mexican University Students: Important Differences by Sex and Academic Discipline

Georgina Mayela Núñez-Rocha, Cynthia Karyna López-Botello, Ana María Salinas-Martínez, Hiram V. Arroyo-Acevedo, Rebeca Thelma Martínez-Villarreal and María Natividad Ávila-Ortiz
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Georgina Mayela Núñez-Rocha: Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon., Nuevo León 66455, Mexico
Cynthia Karyna López-Botello: Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon., Nuevo León 66455, Mexico
Ana María Salinas-Martínez: Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon., Nuevo León 66455, Mexico
Hiram V. Arroyo-Acevedo: Escuela de Salud Pública, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00931, USA
Rebeca Thelma Martínez-Villarreal: Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Nuevo León 66455, Mexico
María Natividad Ávila-Ortiz: Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon., Nuevo León 66455, Mexico

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Few studies have evaluated and contrasted the lifestyles and quality of life of university students by academic discipline. We compared university students’ lifestyle and quality of life, and schools’ compliance with health promotion guidelines. Then, needs were ranked and prioritized. This was a cross-sectional study carried out in a public university in Northeastern Mexico. Higher education students with no visual or hearing impairment from six different academic disciplines were included ( N = 5443). A self-administered and anonymous questionnaire was applied that included the HPLP (Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile) and SF-12 scales. A check list was employed for measuring 26 on-site schools’ compliance with health promotion guidelines, and needs were ranked using Z-scores. The mean lifestyle was 53.9 ± 14.8 and the mean quality of life was 69.7 ± 5. Men had healthier lifestyles with more exercise and better stress management. The mean compliance with health promotion guidelines was 58.7%. Agricultural Sciences students had the highest need for improving both lifestyle and quality of life. Arts, Education, and Humanities, Engineering and Technology, and Social and Administrative Sciences schools ranked first in need for health promotion actions. The methodology used allowed hierarchization of areas requiring planning and implementation of specific actions, and the results indicated that healthy lifestyles and quality of life should be a priority.

Keywords: lifestyle; quality of life; health promotion; university students; Mexico (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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