The functional state of students depending on the ethno-territorial factor

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. Integration processes in education provide for increased mobility of students from different countries. The related change in environmental parameters, cultural and social standards require additional tension in the work of regulatory mechanisms. This can lead to exhaustion of the body's reserve capabilities, disruption of adaptation and loss of health. The purpose of the work is to investigate the ethno-territorial variability of the functional state and adaptation potential of foreign students studying at Ukrainian universities. Material and Methods. Students of the medical university (n = 488, age 18–25) who came to study in Ukraine from different countries took part in the study. Data were obtained from cross-sectional surveys from 2014 to 2019. Anthropometric measures included body length (LT), body mass (MT). Functional status was assessed by Robinson, Rufier, vital capacity and strength indices. Adaptation capabilities and the level of physical condition of students were also determined. Experimental data were processed using the SPSS program. Results. It was established that the vast majority of students had Robinson index values: low and below average (students from Poland, Bulgaria, Jordan, Egypt); below average level (students from Ukraine, Malaysia and Tunisia); medium (students from India and China). Students from Poland, Jordan and Egypt are characterized by the lowest vital capacity index (52.7 – 54.9 ml·kg-1). Among the residents of India and China there were the most students with above average and high levels of vital capacity index. Most of the students (with the exception of students from Malaysia and Egypt) had a power index at the level of average and above average. The Ruffier index for students was: weak level – students from Poland, Bulgaria, Egypt and Jordan; satisfactory level – students of Tunisia, Ukraine, India and Malaysia; moderate level – students from China. The majority (40–44%) of the examined contingent from Poland, Bulgaria and Jordan was in a pre-diagnostic state. There were14–27% of such students among students from Egypt, China, India and Tunisia. There were about 10% of such students among Ukrainian students. From 6% to 11% of all foreign students were in a pre-morbid state. This condition is characterized by a decrease in the functional reserves of the circulatory system. Among Ukrainian students, there were 2.04% of such students. From 2.44% to 7.69% of foreign students had asthenization of regulatory systems; such a state was not observed among Ukrainian students. Conclusions. The obtained results of the study expand the data on the peculiarities of the physiological state of students of foreign countries and their adaptation capabilities. It is important that students with strained adaptation mechanisms or an unsatisfactory level of adaptation are able to reveal high functional capabilities with individualized physical exercises. An unsatisfactory state of functional systems can stimulate students to increase the body's adaptive resources. This contributes to increasing the level of motor activity and improving physical education courses with training according to an individualized educational program.