The Relationship Between Risky Health Behaviors and Satisfaction with Life in University Students

Abstract

Objective:This study was conducted for the purpose of determining relationship between risky health behaviors and satisfaction with life in university students.Methods:The study was designed as a cross-sectional type. The sampling of the study was createdconsisted of 856 students accepting an education in the different departments of a university in the Mersin in the 2017-2018 spring semester. Three types of data collection tools (Student Introduction Form, Risky Health Behaviors scale (RHBS), and Life Satisfaction scale (LSS) were used in the collection of data in the study. Frequency, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA and the Pearson correlation analysis were used in the analyses.Results:The mean risky health behaviors scores (58.68±7.53) of students in our study were found to be high, and their mean satisfaction with life scores (16.75±4.57) were found to be moderate. The mean risky health behavior scores are high and mean life satisfaction scores are low for male students, those whose grade point averages are 2.51 and below, those whose parents education level is secondary education and below, those who live away from their family, those whose incomes are less than their expenses, and those whose general health status and interpersonal relationship level is “poor”.Conclusion:Negative, good and moderate correlations were found between life satisfaction and the RHBS psychosocial and nutritional subdimensions, respectively., for the students. It was determined that as the mean total RHBS, psychosocial and nutrition sub-dimension scores of the students increased, their satisfaction with life decreased.

Keywords

• university student
• risky health behavior
• life satisfaction