Health-promoting factors among students in higher education within health care and social work : a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data in a multicentre longitudinal study

• Background: Educational environments are considered important in strengthening students’ health status and knowledge, which are associated with good educational outcomes. It has been suggested to establish healthy universities based on a salutogenic approach – namely, health promotion. The aim of this study was to describe health-promoting resources and factors among first-semester students in higher education in healthcare and social work.Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on a survey distributed among all students in seven healthcare and social work programmes at six universities in southern Sweden. The survey was carried out in 2018 using a self-reported, web-based questionnaire focussing on general health and well-being, lifestyle factors together with three validated instruments measuring health-promoting factors and processes: the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale, Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) and Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ).Results: Of 2283 students, 851 (37.3%) completed the survey, of whom 742 (87.1%) were women; 722 (84.8%) were enrolled on healthcare programmes, and 129 (15.2%) were enrolled on social work programmes. Most reported good general health and well-being (88.1% and 83.7%, respectively). The total mean scores for the SOC scale, SHIS and OBQ were, respectively, 59.09 (SD = 11.78), 44.04 (SD = 9.38) and 26.40 (SD = 7.07). Well-being and several healthy lifestyles were related to better general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Multiple linear and logistic regressions showed that perceived well-being and no sleeping problems significantly predicted higher general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Being less sedentary and non-smoking habits were significant predictors of higher SOC.Conclusions: Swedish students in higher education within the healthcare and social work sector report good general health and well-being in the first semester, as well as health-promoting resources (i.e. SOC, SHIS and OBQ), and in some aspects, a healthy lifestyle. High-intensity exercise, no sleeping problems and non-smoking seem to be of importance to both general health and health-promotive resources. This study contributes to knowledge about the health promotive characteristics of students in the healthcare and social work fields, which is of importance for planning universities with a salutogenic approach.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Health and Environmental Health (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Health and health-promoting resources

Health behavior

Healthy lifestyles

Higher education

Occupational Balance Questionnaire

Salutogenesis

Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale

Sense of coherence

Students’ health

adult

article

controlled study

cross-sectional study

educational status

female

habit

health program

healthy lifestyle

high intensity exercise

human

longitudinal study

major clinical study

male

multicenter study

Sense of Coherence Scale

sleep

social work

Sweden

Swedish citizen

tertiary education

wellbeing

clinical trial

health care delivery

questionnaire

student

Cross-Sectional Studies

Delivery of Health Care

Humans

Longitudinal Studies

Students

Surveys and Questionnaires

Oral hälsa

Vårdvetenskap

Family-Centred Health

Välbefinnande vid långvariga hälsoproblem (WeLHP)

Information driven care

Människan i vården

Health and health-promoting resources

Health behavior

Healthy

lifestyles

Higher education

Occupational Balance Questionnaire

Salutogenesis

Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale

Sense of coherence

Students' health

occupational balance

physical-activity

nursing-students

1st year

academic-performance

life-styles

coherence

sense

behaviors

nurses

Public

Environmental & Occupational Health

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)