Adherence to healthy lifestyles - A comparison of nursing and physiotherapy students

• For nurses as well as physiotherapists, there is increasing emphasis on patient education. It is a challenge for health science educational institutions to motivate students to healthy lifestyles and prepare them for their role as health educators. In the present study we compare first-term nursing and physiotherapy students on a number of lifestyle and health indicators, musculoskeletal problems and measures taken to prevent and treat back pain. A questionnaire was distributed to physiotherapy (n = 92) and nursing students (n = 115) at three different universities in Sweden. The results show that physiotherapy students are more physically active, smoke less, and eat fewer sweets and unhealthy snacks compared to nursing students. Both groups reported high back pain prevalences, and both groups favoured relaxation techniques, massage, rest and heat as treatment for back pain. The study questions the credibility of the students as role models. In order to help students adhere to healthy lifestyles and strengthen their efficacy as health educators, educational institutions need to pay attention to students' own lifestyles.

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MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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