Self-Assessment of the Quality of Life and the Formation of a Healthy Lifestyle of Medical Students

Abstract

   The purpose of research is to analyze sample data on self-assessment of health and formation of healthy lifestyle attitudes of medical students.   Methods. The sample structure is characterized by the distribution of respondents by gender, the course of study at a university and college, and the age of 15–18 years. Data collection was carried out by a questionnaire method using a direct survey of respondents. Anthropometry was performed with the subsequent calculation of the body mass index (BMI) of the respondents. The assessment of the quality of life was carried out using the SF-36 questionnaire on indicators of physical and mental components of health, general health, vital activity and mental health.   Results. The respondents were divided into 4 groups: 1 – boys studying at a university, 2 – girls studying at a university, 3 – boys studying at a college and 4 – girls studying at a college. It was found that the surveyed girls have a lower self-assessment of health, more than 30 % of university and college students rate their health as mediocre and poor, and among young men this indicator was 25,0 % and 20,0 %, respectively. The physical component of health differed slightly in the groups. The psychological component of health in girls was: 32,98 ± 1.35 (in high school) and 38,98 ± 1,14 (in college) versus 41,10 ± 2,22 for boys in high school and 44,61 ± 2,12 in college. The indicator of the general state of health was 66,50 ± 4,01; 58,12 ± 2,86; 65,40 ± 4,48 and 63,85 ± 1,95 in representatives of the analyzed groups, respectively; mental health – 63,38 ± 3,83; 49,09 ± 2,63; 64,6 ± 4,48 and 60,34 ± 2,21.   Conclusion. Analysis of the data obtained indicates that there are gender differences in self-assessment of health, represented by lower indicators in girls. Moreover, students at the university show this more clearly, which requires more in-depth study. It has been established that first-year students of KSMU have motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle and promote it among the population, and it can be traced more clearly among students of the university.