Health Behaviours and the Quality of Life of Students of Medical Fields during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

(1) Background: Social distancing and closing down public spaces associated with learning, leisure and physical activity limited the spread of COVID-19. These measures had an impact not only on the economy and education but also on health behaviours and the quality of life of individuals affected by the restrictions. The aim of this study was to identify the role of health behaviours in the perception of the quality of life of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: This study was conducted among 796 students of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn in the first quarter of 2022. Subgroup 1 consisted of students at the Public Health School (n = 428; 53.8%) and subgroup 2 consisted of students belonging to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (n = 368; 46.2%). The diagnostic survey method was applied, and an original survey questionnaire, the Health Behaviour Inventory and the Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQoL-Bref version) were used. (3) Results: The largest contribution to the prediction of quality of life of students in subgroup 1 was made by a positive mental attitude related to avoiding too strong emotions, which explained 19% of the result variability in the somatic domain (ßeta = 0.24; R2 = 0.21), 20% of the result variability in the psychological domain (ßeta = 0.36; R2 = 0.20), 16% of the result variability in the social domain (ßeta = 0.52; R2 = 0.17) and 17% of the result variability in the environmental domain (ßeta = 0.19; R2 = 0.19). Moreover, in subgroup 2, a predominantly positive mental attitude significantly predicted quality of life in the somatic domain, explaining 23% of the result variability (ßeta = 0.24; R2 = 0.26), while it explained 25% of the result variability in the psychological domain (ßeta = 0.47; R2 = 0.25), 16% of the result variability in the social domain (ßeta = 0.46; R2 = 0.17) and 21% of the result variability in the environmental domain (ßeta = 0.38; R2 = 0.23). (4) Conclusions: Positive correlations between health behaviours and the quality of life among the study participants were determined. Health-promoting behaviours had a beneficial impact on the respondents’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The category of health behaviours described as a positive mental attitude was an important predictor for the participants’ quality of life.

Keywords

• health behaviours
• quality of life
• COVID-19
• students