Selected health behaviours of nursing students

Introduction:
Health-promoting behaviours determining health depend on many factors: the stage of development of the individual and of the environment, education, and broadly understood media. The undertaking and expression of health behaviours by nursing students can imply their physical and psychological preparation for the profession and can be used in professional work in shaping these behaviour’s among patients. The results presented herein constitute a continuation and expansion of the study on selected health behaviours of nursing students from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Jagiellonian University and the sources of health knowledge they use in social media. The aim of the study was to evaluate selected health behaviours of nursing students.

Material and methods:
The study was conducted in 2021 among 110 students at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Jagiellonian University. A diagnostic survey method was used in the study, and the authors’ survey questionnaire, which contained 6 categories of questions, and Z. Juczynski’s Health Behaviour Inventory were used to collect data. The results were developed using the IBM SPSS 26.0 package, and the significance level was adopted as p ≤ 0.05.

Results:
The average assessment of health behaviour in the study group was at an average level. Scores on the health behaviour subscales are as follows: proper eating habits – 3.51 (the students declared eating whole-grain products, vegetable fats, and limiting fast food), preventive behaviour’s – 3.38, positive mental attitude – 3.46, and health practices – 3.16. Statistical analysis did not confirm the relationship between gender and place of residence and the health behaviours undertaken by the students. Respondents in the 21-22-year-old age group and second-year undergraduate students showed higher scores in positive mental attitude compared to the other respondents.

Conclusions:
Health-promoting behaviours by nursing students should be strengthened to ensure that they are prepared for the profession in terms of the educational function.