A Qualitative Investigation of University Student's Perceptions of Health Behaviours and Associations With Educational Outcomes Through the Lens of the WHO Framework on Health Behaviours and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

Issue Addressed

Informed by the World Health Organisation's (WHO) framework on health behaviours and educational outcomes (EO), this study examined university students' perceptions about factors influencing their health behaviours and relationships between health behaviours and EO.

Methods

Data collection involved 12 semi-structured focus groups with 37 domestic and international undergraduate students (32 females; mean age = 20.3 ± 3.43 years) studying in various academic years and programs at the main campus of The University of Queensland. Data analysis included an initial inductive thematic analysis to develop themes, followed by a deductive thematic analysis to map the identified themes onto the WHO framework.

Results

Several themes were identified regarding students' health behaviours, including factors at the micro (knowledge and skills; personal attributes; socio-demographic characteristics; time), meso (geographic location; university; social influences), and macro (COVID-19 related policies and restrictions) levels. Two themes were identified relating to students' perceptions of the relationships between health behaviours and EO (relationships with short-term EO; elements mediating this relationship), with most relevant discussions centred around sleep.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that to optimise university students' health and EO, strategies should target multiple health behaviours and address multiple levels of influence. Interventions focused on time management skills and understanding sedentary behaviour may be particularly useful for this population.

So What?

University students' health behaviours should be addressed with consideration of the educational context and use of contextually relevant frameworks. Promotion efforts should prioritise strategies that address multiple levels of influence, which may result in positive outcomes across multiple health behaviours and EO.