THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN IMPROVING THE HEALTH STATUS OF STUDENTS OF SPECIAL MEDICAL GROUPS

Abstract

The aim is to carry out the analysis of the disease incidence of students and to scientifically substantiate the directions of improving health and fitness activity in the physical education of the students of special medical groups. Materials and methods: The study was conducted at Zhytomyr National Agroecological University in 1992-2019. The main pedagogical experiment involved 681 students (209 males and 472 females, aged 17-22). The research methods included theoretical methods (the analysis and synthesis of literary sources, the analysis of curricula, the assessment of the quality of classes with the students of special medical groups, the study and analysis of the medical cards of students); empirical methods (pedagogical observations, the methods of mathematical statistics). Results: The study determined that more than 57.6 % students of higher educational establishments of Ukraine had an unsatisfactory level of physical fitness, significant physical disabilities, diseases; from 10.9 to 20.5 % students had an insufficient level of physical fitness and significant health disorders; from 8.1 to 17.4 % students belonged to a special medical group; from 0.4 to 1.2 % students were exempt from sports and had chronic diseases and disabilities. Conclusions: The quality of the physical education process in special medical groups depends on the interconnection of all the components that affect its efficiency, including an outlook, motives, interests, the attitude of students to physical education and health-improving activities; the students’ desire to overcome their health disabilities; individual characteristics of students; the means, forms, methods, and principles of physical self-improvement; material and technical support of educational and health and fitness events.