Prevalence and Correlates of Health Risk Behaviors among University Students from a State in the Southern Region of Brazil

Prevalence and Correlates of Health Risk Behaviors among University Students from a State in the Southern Region of Brazil

Surveys conducted in different regions of the world show that the prevalence rates of health risk behaviors (HRBs) in university students are sometimes higher than those found in non-university populations. This study aims to identify the prevalence rates and demographic and academic environment cor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 21; no. 5; p. 612
Main Authors: Guedes, Dartagnan Pinto, de Lima, Keila Aparecida, Dos Santos Silva, Andre Luis
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 11-05-2024
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Birth control
Brazil - epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Data collection
Drug use
Eating behavior
Exercise
Female
Health behavior
Health risk assessment
Health Risk Behaviors
Health risks
Humans
Male
Population
Prevalence
Questionnaires
Risk-Taking
Sexual behavior
Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data
Students - psychology
Students - statistics & numerical data
Surveys and Questionnaires
Universities
University students
Violence
Young Adult
Brazil
Brazil
surveys
university health
health promotion
lifestyles
public health
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Summary:Surveys conducted in different regions of the world show that the prevalence rates of health risk behaviors (HRBs) in university students are sometimes higher than those found in non-university populations. This study aims to identify the prevalence rates and demographic and academic environment correlates associated with HRBs among Brazilian university students. In a cross-sectional epidemiological study, a random sample of 5310 university students answered an online questionnaire, with demographic (sex, age, skin color, marital status, and paid work) and academic setting information (housing type, size of campus, year, and shift of study), as well as items clustered in four HRB domains: personal safety and violence, sexual behavior and contraception, addictive substance use, eating habits, physical activity, and sleep. The data were analyzed statistically using bivariate analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. The highest prevalence rates occurred in HRBs clustered in the domain of eating habits, physical activity, and sleep (>60%), while HRBs for personal security and violence were less prevalent (<15%). From 15% to 35% of university students assumed HRBs regarding addictive substance use, and approximately 50% reported risky sexual behavior. The university students most susceptible to HRBs were men, aged ≥ 22 years, living far from their family, studying on larger campuses, attending night classes, and with two or more years of study at the university. The findings suggest that policies and interventions in the university context aimed at students' readiness to engage in a healthy lifestyle should target specific correlates associated with HRBs.
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ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph21050612